Cure the sick.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” Matthew 10:8

I was a sickly kid. It felt like I was constantly diagnosed with something. I can’t eat peaches to this day because I associate eating them with being sick. (I would have canned peaches every time I got strep throat because they were easy to swallow…) As an adult, I look back at my childhood and remember the healing powers of my mom more than any medicine.

She would cuddle me to her, buy me a present or rent a movie when she went to pick up my meds, and always held my sadness. My mom freely gave me all of her healing love. I didn’t have to beg (although I may call and beg for her to drive to me now that I’m an adult…) for her to do everything in her power to help me get well. But Lord, was I thankful she did.  Continue reading →

Let our words be life.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:21

I’ll be honest. Sometimes I say things I don’t mean. I don’t always choose my words wisely. I tend to use sarcasm as a defense mechanism. I’ve over-promised my time because I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I’ve lied. I’ve cussed. I’ve hurt.

Words are a powerful weapon, arguably one of the most powerful of all. They have the capacity to motivate and inspire, compel and persuade, cut and irreparably damage. Are your words more likely to help someone or hurt them? Continue reading →

Never underestimate the power of your witness.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Matthew 28: 19-20

Befriending the outcast, preaching the gospel, doing good works are fundamental to being a good Christian. To be like Christ, we are called to do all of these things with great love. This doesn’t mean that we are all meant to speak on national television, found an international aid organization, or become a Grammy winning Christian artist. Your platform may never be that great, but your witness is just as important.

“Never underestimate the power of your witness.” That’s evangelism in a nutshell. Continue reading →

Don’t fake it ’til you make it (for love).

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:7 

tumblr_nrlls5FpMJ1r7x6fro1_1280

goo.gl/JLnNHG

In today’s age, it is easy to pretend. On social media, we show the world the perfect snapshots of our life. At work, we can focus on tasks and ignore getting to know people in order to succeed (and potentially move up the ladder). At church, we engage in small talk and pleasantries instead of allowing ourselves to be vulnerable. In dating, we often hide our true selves and succumb to society’s pressures to be part of a couple.

Continue reading →

Your journey begins with a single step.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently…” Isaiah 26:9

A friend of mine was describing her new hobby of meditation. She was talking about the weirdness of trying something new and the constant feeling that you’re doing it wrong. We talked about the different styles of mediation, and she mentioned that she needed the guided sessions because sitting in silence made her nervous. She said that it was hard to talk about because other people think she’s crazy for trying it. Have you ever felt that anxiety of trying something new?

Throughout the conversation, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my faith journey. Continue reading →

Voice of truth.

/ Em / 1 Comment

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

I remember the day that I had to write my first client email without the approval from my boss. I was terrified to say the least. I had read, and reread the email at least ten times. I was second-guessing my word choices. Did it sound formal enough without sounding stiff? Would my stomach hurt if it was actually the “right” email? At that moment, I realized that I was legitimately having an emotional breakdown about six sentences. It shouldn’t take 30 minutes to write an email.

I realize that this isn’t the biggest crisis in the world. But it did trigger a profoundly beautiful realization in my life.

Continue reading →

Wearing Masks.

/ Em / Leave a comment
“Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace.” Romans 5:1.

Sometimes I feel like Mulan. I feel the need to hide myself and the flaws that society dictates about my person. But more than that, this mask is a way to please. The mask allows me to become stronger. This illusion is as much a symbol of my lack in confidence as it is a sign of wanting to make my Father proud.
Have you ever felt that you have to put on an act for God?

Walk with the wise.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Walk with the wise and you become wise, but the companion of fools fares badly.” Proverbs 13:20

Growing up, my basketball coach would tell us that we needed to practice how we were going to play. This idea that walking through the motions wouldn’t make us better, but putting in everything we got would. So we would practice against the older team regularly. Every week we would scrimmage the older girls and get our butts kicked, and every week we worked hard and tried to beat them. Without success.

It was frustrating, and felt fruitless. Until we played our first official game. We out-hustled, out-scored and out-played our competition. Practicing against more advanced players helped us to improve drastically and play with confidence.

We walked with the wise. We became wise. Continue reading →

Let Go, Let God.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.” Luke 22:42

Let go and let God. I love the simplicity of that phrase, but wish it was as simple in practice. It can be hard to believe that He works all things together for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), especially when an innocent life is caught in crime or a family member gets sick. Continue reading →

Jesus is my superhero.

/ Em / Leave a comment

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

I was obsessed with Lisa Leslie growing up. I wanted to be just like her. She was an amazing basketball player, the best teammate, and was always positive. Leslie taught me the importance of a good work ethic, sportsmanship, and courage. Of course the fact that she was popular, and one of the most accomplished women athletes at the time didn’t hurt either. In my eyes, Lisa Leslie was a superhero. She symbolized an opportunity for me to achieve sports greatness. (No, I’m not currently in the WNBA in case you were wondering.) Continue reading →