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Why I Can’t Get Over the Incarnation of Christ—and Neither Should You
Christmas spirit is hit-or-miss for me. Some years, I become wrapped up (pun intended) in the nostalgia of familiar Christmas songs, belting them out while eagerly finding gifts for friends and family, and losing myself in a pile of shiny paper and bows. Other years, I find it hard to get caught up in the season’s sentiments: I feel indifferent toward giving and receiving gifts, I become annoyed with the many store advertisements, or I have a “bah-humbug” attitude when no snow falls. Over the past couple of years, however, I have become increasingly intrigued and awed by the concept of Emmanuel, God with us. The incarnation baffles me over…
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A Good and Faithful God: Reflections on 6 Years in Pain
On October 28, 2013, I woke up with a headache. As of today, I’ve had that headache for 6 years. That’s 6 years of constant pain, 6 years of specialist appointments and searching for answers, 6 years of trying treatments and being let down, 6 years of faithful friends and family praying with me for healing. Honestly, this year, I don’t know what to think. I have so long been resigned to the reality of long-term physical discomfort that it seems normal to me. I have so long been skeptical of anyone offering a solution that I have little hope of a medical remedy to this problem. When I was…
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How to Have a Salty Conversation
A conversation can take many forms. It can be had using voices between two or more people who are present together physically. It can be carried on using phone speakers, sometimes allowing participants to see as well as hear each other. A conversation can be had by writing words with a pen or pencil on a sticky note or a card or a piece of stationery, to be left on a desk or sent in the mail. Many conversations are transmitted via short messages typed with the thumbs, full of abbreviations and punctuation errors. Regardless of what mode of communication you use the most, I’m willing to bet you find…
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Why I’m Thankful to Have Two Home Churches
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Why I’m Thankful to Have Two Home Churches
Two Homes? When I returned to New Life Community Church in Chicago after spring break in March, my friend gave me a hug and said, “Welcome home!” When I returned to Chapel Pointe (CP) in Michigan after finals week in May, many people gave me hugs and said, “Welcome home!” Now I was confused. How could I feel at home in two places? How could people in two different states think I belonged with them and was part of their community? Ever since I was 17 months old, my family and I have attended the same church in West Michigan. Most of my good friends went to my church and…
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How to Have a Salty Conversation
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Learning to Value Life: A Response to the New York Decision on Abortion
A Hot Topic The world of social media has been abuzz with talk about a new abortion law passed in New York. In an act signed on January 22, 2019—the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade—the Empire State now protects abortionists from criminal prosecution, allows health practitioners other than doctors to perform abortions, and permits abortions up until birth if it is deemed necessary for the mother’s health. As a Christian, it saddens me to see God’s law being broken. As a pro-lifer, I am horrified at this act of violence toward innocent children. As the incoming president of my school’s pro-life student group, I’ve been asked what I have…
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Marching Into a New Year
At the end of each year, I like to look back and remember what God has done and look ahead to what I believe He will do in the coming year. This year, I thought I’d share some of my reflections. I pray you are encouraged to reflect on how you have grown and seen God work over the past year and build anticipation for this new year. For me, 2018 was a year of milestones: I was accepted to my dream Bible school, I graduated from high school, and I transitioned to college life in downtown Chicago. There were many highs and lows—endings and beginnings, fears and anticipations, “see…
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The Gift of God With Us
This post was written for the weekly Five Minute Friday blog linkup. Each week, writers respond to a one-word prompt by writing for five minutes, then share their unedited writing with each other. Click here to join the fun! As we anticipate celebrating the birth of Christ in the next few days, I keep thinking about the name “Emmanuel” and all its implications. The incarnation was no everyday occurrence. God with us. God Himself, the Creator of the universe, the Author of life, the Designer of history, fully present with us. The greatest gift of all time wrapped in a newborn baby’s body. Heaven and humanity met the moment that little baby was…
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Seeking Stillness
This post was written for the weekly Five Minute Friday blog linkup. Each week, writers respond to a one-word prompt by writing for five minutes, then share their unedited writing with each other. Click here to join the fun! This week’s prompt: Still. In our fast-paced American culture, it is easy to be anything but still. Especially in the college sphere, we can effortlessly fill up every hour with activities: social outings, homework, events, conversations. Many days, the only time I slow down is to sleep. Next semester, I want to make more time to be still—”cease striving”—and sit in the presence of God (Psalm 46:10 NASB). I want to schedule…
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A Great Balancing Act
This post was written for the weekly Five Minute Friday blog linkup. Each week, writers respond to a one-word prompt by writing for five minutes, then share their unedited writing with each other. Click here to join the fun! This week’s prompt: Balance. “You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.” -Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go These words have never been more true in my life than they are now. There seem to be an increasing number…
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A Deeply Caring Father
This post was written for the weekly Five Minute Friday blog linkup. Each week, writers respond to a one-word prompt by writing for five minutes, then share their unedited writing with each other. Click here to join the fun! This week’s prompt: Deep. “Deep and wide, deep and wide, there’s a fountain flowing deep and wide…” Did this song make any sense to you as a kid? I definitely didn’t understand these words we sang in Sunday school. As it turns out, this song is talking about the love of God. I don’t usually picture it as a fountain, but more like an ocean or a tidal wave. God’s love is…
