For years I have struggled to balance:• Happiness and depression,• Happiness and the need to be right,• Happiness and OCD,• Happiness and anxiety, and any other similar combination of paradoxes related to the feeling of being, well … emotionally filled. Last summer, as I was having lunch with a friend, I was beaming. I explained to her all the ways
“I don’t go to church because churches are filled with hypocrites and people judging others for things they do themselves.” I read those words tonight on a social media post. I used to have an excuse for why I quit going to church a decade ago, too. It wasn’t about the hypocrisy of others. It was simply that I didn’t
Over the last year I have put on 30 pounds, lost 20 of them, and put 18 back on! I weigh more today than I did when I was 9 months pregnant with a 7 pound baby inside of me. 😮 I thought I had a love-hate relationship with the scale. It turns out, I have a love-hate relationship with
Are you so ashamed of your past that you keep the guilt and shame hidden in your heart, afraid to help others by sharing your story for fear of judgement? -or- Is God’s grace on display in your life through the redeeming story of your past that you freely share with others? **** Ephesians 2:8 **** For it is by
Are you at a point in life where your thoughts or burdens have created a heavy heart that’s weighing you down … and you’re not sure what to do next? Your solution to your problem(s) might be twofold. **** Psalm 145:18 **** The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Ever feel emotionally exhausted from the things going on in life? Ever wish you had a crystal ball so you could see into the future? You’re not alone! A LESSON FROM HISTORY In the book of Lamentations, we find Jeremiah writing at a time when Jerusalem has been captured. The Israelites are living in exile. The people have turned away
Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions daily, but your life just feels like it lacks a bigger purpose? Maybe it’s because you haven’t yet decided to take an active role in God’s masterplan for your life. In his message today at Trinity Baptist Church, Pastor Andy Coats dove into Ephesians 1, with a sermon titled
My New Year’s Resolution for 2022 is simple. I want to grow deeper in my knowledge of God, so that I may become more like Him. At the end of the year I want people to see a transformation in me. I want to be seen as: More patient More humble More generous More compassionate More forgiving In doing so,
At the end of May, we made the decision after more than a decade together to start going to church. That first sermon, I heard the pastor say, “The best of intentions, based on lies, lead to self righteousness.” My first moment of conviction took less than an hour and planted a seed that would really grow inside of me
Last night, as I was cooking dinner, I heard a crash, quickly followed by tears of panic and pain. My seven year old had once again crawled into her toy shopping cart, and once again, she found herself the victim of “48 pounds of one poor choice meets gravitational pull”. I instantly turned around and without skipping a beat, said
