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

Your journey begins with a single step.

“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

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