• sheep
    Spirit

    If You Love Me…

    Whenever I’m going through something, I always try to find someone in the Bible who went through a similar experience. Job, Paul, Jonah, Ruth – there’s always someone I can relate to and learn from. This time, it’s Peter. We all know Peter. The walking-on-water, Jesus-denying, ear-slicing, ever faithful Peter. Peter was enthusiastic (to say the least) about pleasing Jesus. He wanted to make Jesus proud and offer his fully devoted service. He wanted to show just how much he believed and how faithful he was. Yet, he was always tripping up. Always failing. Always falling. But hiccups and all, he kept pursuing Jesus. One of the last conversations Jesus…

  • woman holding up sign saying Jesus in the city streetswhile people are blurred walking around her
    Spirit

    Jesus Loves You – But Not Your Sin

     (A Preface to “When God Brings Judgment – An Isaiah 1 Commentary”) God is many things. Most notably, we know Him as our Creator and Savior, our Healer and Redeemer. God is love. He is just. He is patient and full of grace and mercy. Yes, God is a good God. So much so that we refer to Him as Our Father. He cares for us endlessly and only wants the best for us. But like a Father, God has rules. Laws – commandments, actually. And He expects us to obey them like any parent would desire of their child. But when any parent sees their child is being disruptive…

  • woman standing in the streets alone covering her ears
    Spirit

    Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear

    You can hear it almost anywhere you go. It relaxes you, invigorates you, and takes you back to the oldest of memories. It sets the mood to every minute you’re exposed to it. It is the sound of music filling the air. And while many share this common interest for a love of music, I can honestly say, I’ve always taken it two steps further. Music was rich in my family before I was even a thought. It was always played and always encouraged to be played. Upon entering my teenage years, it quickly became an obsession. My walls were plastered with posters and album covers. I could tell you…

  • close up of old book spine with old rough pages open
    Spirit

    The Vision of the Sealed Book

    I saw it all like words in a sealed book. It was delivered by men unto someone with one simple request: “Read this, please.” But the person responded, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” So the men delivered the book to someone who was illiterate with the same request, “Read this, please.” But this person responded, “I can’t. I don’t know how to read.” The prophet Isaiah wrote about this vision centuries before Jesus was even born. Perhaps you don’t understand. Why couldn’t the first person simply have unwrapped the book? Or maybe you’re wondering why the second person never learned to read at all. But what if this story…

  • minimalist white desk with modern chair facing a white wall
    Chronic Illness,  Spirit

    Where to Begin

    Want to know a secret? I was supposed to launch this outreach a long time ago. It began in the hospital one February night in 2018. While one could argue it was the high dose of IV steroids I had just received, I knew it was something greater. God was speaking to me, and words were pouring into my heart and overflowing faster than I could get them out. I needed to write. I needed to share these words with the rest of the world. But how? When? Where would I even start? I soon saw that none of that mattered. All that was important was that God had begun…

  • woman walking the line on a road
    Spirit

    Where Do You Draw the Line?

    Have you ever been in so much pain that you would do anything to make it go away? Has life ever been so terrible that you would sacrifice anything to God if He would just make it stop? I’ve been there. I know. When 2018 hit, my surrounding world felt as if it was crawling all over me like ants. I wanted so badly to shake everything off. The pain. The depression. The sickness. The worry. He could have whatever He wanted; Just heal me! Things started small at first. I ran to Him on every bad day and went back to my old world on every good day. Eventually,…

  • dead maple leaves floating on a still lake
    Spirit

    Slow Down

    Slow down. Slow down your body. Slow down your mind. Slow down your heart. Life isn’t about quantity. It’s about quality. What sort of quality of life are you living? Slow down and take your time. Do not focus on your progress adding up. Focus on how you’re making that progress – In this moment – Right now. I am not telling you to stop. I’m telling you to pace yourself. I’m not telling you to be lazy. I’m telling you to rest. Just slow down. Solving the Puzzle Blame it on my heritage, but it seems as though I have always had a determination to get from point A…

  • crowd of friends standing in the woods looking at the sunrise
    Spirit

    Joining the Body

    From the inspirations of the message shared on Pink Incense August 14, 2019 Watch Here! “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” – I Thessalonians 5:11 EDIFY – instruct and improve, enlighten morally, spiritually, and intellectually In the early days of being sick, all I could ever do was beg God to remove my pain. Medicine and medical treatment were rarely successful, and I felt trapped in a body of torture. All I could cry was, “Take it Jesus. Please, take it.” My sister was always there for me, praying with me through the pain, specifically telling me to praise Him through the…

  • woman standing in grassy field with sunlight shining on her head
    Spirit

    He Chose You

    He chose Moses. He chose Esther. He chose David. Daniel. The disciples. Paul. And He chose you. God did not create you just to exist on this earth. He did not create you just to grow up, go to school, get a job, start a family, and retire. Just like He designed every atom in Your body to have a particular function, He created you to play a particular role. He chose you to have a testimony. He chose you to suffer through trials because He knew you were strong, faithful, and obedient. He knew your potential before you even saw it. What an honor that the King of Kings,…