Cure the sick.

“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 Go, Let God.

“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

Father, you know me.

“With all of my ways, you are familiar.” Psalm 139:3

Growing up, my mom would always say that she knew me better than I knew myself. She could predict when I would get mad, the dinner I would choose from the menu, or my reaction to a gift from my grandmother. It would creep my out how well she knew me.

In reality, I am probably one of the most predictable people ever. While my mom might claim to know me better than myself, God truly does. He knows everything about me. Continue reading

I’m Gonna Let It Shine.

“Take care, then, that the light in you not become darkness.” Luke 11:35

I don’t know about y’all, but “This Little Light of Mine” was my JAM when I was six. I would scream-sing it around the house for hours on end. It’s catchy, right? Letting your light shine, showing the world who you are and whose you are.

In a world overcome by darkness–racism, mass shootings, terrorism, war, famine–that simple idea of ‘letting our light shine’ gets more complex by the day. How can we sing of goodness when our hearts are breaking? Or when it’s easier to sit in despair? Or when our anger consumes our thoughts and hate rests on the tip of our tongues? Continue reading