If you’re a living, breathing human, then you have surely had a day (or season) when you’ve felt down in the dumps. Everything seems to be going wrong, and you feel sad and discouraged. Sometimes you might just need a quick reminder that God lifts you up. He lifts your mood, your spirit, your sense…
Category: Christian Living
One Important Way to be Different From the World
Linger. How often do you linger somewhere? Linger means to move or act slowly. To tarry, stall, lollygag or dawdle. To take your time. To lounge around and maybe even become idle. Our world clips by at a pretty quick speed most days, so lingering may feel awkward or even foreign to you. Is there…
An Unexpected Time to be Strong and Courageous
Obey God’s Word. If you’re been a follower of Jesus for a few weeks or your entire life, you’ve probably heard these words in some way, shape or form. It’s just that simple, right? We’ve got to be obedient to what God commands us to do, and He will come alongside us and meet us…
How to be More Prepared for Jesus’ Return
I tidied up the piles of paper sitting on my desk, and I double checked my computer to make sure everything was ready. When my students arrived, I was a little more strict than usual in making sure their sweatshirts followed the school’s dress code to a tee. I did some extra hovering over a…
The Truth About Fake Discouraging Words
It is so important to have encouraging voices speaking into your life. …and it’s equally important to be an encouraging voice to the people around you. Listen to these very different reactions I got last spring when I told two different friends about my summer trip to Africa. Friend #1: When I told this sweet…
Taking Stock of the Voices in Your Life
You’ve probably heard a variation of this quote before: “Who you hang out with is who you become.” Or maybe something like this: “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.” The people we choose to spend time with can influence us tremendously. And the other way around is true, as well! …
The Amazing Exchanges God Offers to Believers
As a seasoned traveler, I readily admit it took me too long to get smart to one thing… I have finally started strategizing when/where I travel based on weather. Well, let me preface this by saying that because I’m a teacher, my travel options are more limited as far as timing goes. Teachers have the…
Why My Impatience Makes Me Grateful
Teachers’ pet peeves can be an interesting topic of conversation. This list could include anything from lying or cheating to lack of effort or disrespectfulness. What about this one… You just gave thorough, detailed instructions for the team project students are about to begin. As soon as you say, “Go ahead and begin,” a student…
The Good Thing about Feeling Weak and Helpless
On a beautiful Friday last May, I had one of those days where I left school thinking only about how much I love teaching. All the reasons why I’ve stayed in the classroom for 18 years were running through my mind as I left the building and headed home, and they stayed in my mind…
10 Ways to Grow a Deeper Faith
So what are your thoughts on icebreakers? They’re not my favorite, honestly, but I know some people love them. Every teacher knows that those staff meetings at the beginning of the school year are notorious for their icebreakers… Of course, they are beneficial for building community, strengthening connections, and welcoming in new staff members; but…