What is a Christian? The dictionary says a Christian is someone relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings; or a person who has received Christian baptism, or is a believer in Christianity. Some would say a Christian is a religious person or worse . I would say a Christian is a person who is Christlike or like Christ and makes an effort with the Holy Spirit to live that out daily. Based on my description, I’d like to take today to focus on that…Continue Reading “I’m gonna ask you to be a Christian for Just One Week – A Challenge to One Who Claims to Follow Christ”
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As I come up on the one year anniversary of When My Mind Winds Up – my second book turns one on Valentine’s Day; and, as I simultaneously co-teach a discipleship class on Jennie Allen’s book, Get Out of Your Head, I’ve realized that I keep walking the anxious or depressed person through the often hard but so necessary steps to freedom, now realizing that I need to address the rest of you for a hot minute as well. To my brothers and sisters that…Continue Reading “A Plea for the Anxious Christian – Please Hear This, Healthy Brothers and Sisters”
What’s Love Got to Do With It? – Absolutely Everything! *originally posted at womendevotions.com With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, here comes the obligatory Love post. However, it should be no secret that Love is central to the theme of the Christian Community. If it’s not, therein lies the problem and this post is more needed than some may realize. With love being as big and as important of a topic as it is for us as followers of Christ, I simply can’t cover all that…Continue Reading “What’s Love to a Christian? – 3 Things to Consider”
I recently did a podcast episode on transitions and was so moved by the topic and what came of it that I decided to add it to my blog. Transitions can be both exciting and anxiety-producing. During this time, we are typically seeking greater clarity about who we are or who we’d like to become in the future. BUT, how to deal with these transitions and get that clarity? I believe we can hang our hats on just one thing; Christ and Him crucified! Transitions,…Continue Reading “How to Deal With Transitions – Hang Your Hat on this One Thing”
Stewardship. What a weird word. Makes me think of some thick soup on a giant boat or some lanky, quirky, for-ever in the girl next door’s friend zone guy, named Stew who runs his own business that specializes only in shiplap – probably to win the heart of the girl next door. Anyway! I digress. Wikipedia defines biblical stewardship as: “Utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation.” The central essence of biblical worldview stewardship…Continue Reading “Who’s Stew and What about His Ship?”
**Guest post by Brittany Bowers** Brittany is a co-laborer with me at The Grove Church A couple years ago I changed my perspective from resolutions to goals with the objective of creating new habits. Sure, maybe it’s the same thing? But the approach and ultimate objective are different. Instead of “I will follow my daily reading plan and read the Bible each and every day to finish the Bible in one year.” I could say “My goal is to read the entire Bible this year,…Continue Reading “When Resolutions Become Goals”
This is THE question most every Christian is asking themselves and others right now. There’s so much confusion surrounding it too. I know, I for one, love to take in the wisdom and opinions of those I respect and admire on such matters, and I have: My friend who’s a pastor’s wife and nurse got it and is elated about it My dear friend who works in a hospital doesn’t want to be forced to take it My acquaintance who is president of a Christian…Continue Reading “Does God Want Me to Get the Covid-19 Vaccination?”
Being trapped in a spiritual funk can feel a lot like being trapped in a group text. The bings keep coming so fast, your head is spinning, there’s not even a chance to reply, you feel hopeless and you can’t tell anyone because “what will they think?” and “I can’t let them down”. So, you just sit there with eyes glossed over, ready to give up on Jesus and texting all together! Okay. So, that’s a little silly, but spiritual funks are real. And spiritual…Continue Reading “How to Escape a Spiritual Funk”
We are told to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls and mind (Matt 22:37; Deuteronomy 6:5) and that our obedience shows that we love him and we are IN him (I John 2:5). Love the Lord with all your HEART, SOUL, and MIND…I’ve decided to call this the love and obedience triad. The dictionary describes a triad as “ a group or set of three connected people or things”. What Matthew 22:37 is telling us is that it takes a connection of our heart, soul…Continue Reading “The Love and Obedience Triad”
*originally posted at jensmindunwinds So, yeah, I’m an author. There’s definitely a part of me writing this that preaches the importance of book reviews because I know reviews of my book will help get it seen and get my message out there. But, people, as of yesterday I’ve realized that the importance of book reviews is even bigger than that. Yesterday I reviewed a book on Amazon and was shocked to find I was the first person to do so! It wasn’t even my book and I…Continue Reading “3 Reasons Witnessing through Reviewing Books is a Good Idea”