We all know that Jesus is our best Christmas gift ever. But do you know what to give Jesus this Christmas? Just yesterday this was a novel concept to be. It had never occurred to me that I could concretely give Jesus a birthday present until I read Ann Voskamp’s blog post where she shares how their family gives birthday gifts for Jesus by buying goats or mosquito nets. I thought it was a brilliant idea. So during the dinner…
Have you messed up? Don’t you measure up? Are you tired and at the end of your rope? I have good news for you! That’s exactly why God sent Jesus into the world. Because we do mess up. Because we don’t measure up. Because we are imperfect. Because we can’t make it alone. “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight! You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate, finding yourself set right with God. You’ll sing God’s praises…
I’ve always thought that we are called to live in reverend awe of God. Hence when I learned that Margaret Feinberg‘s new book is called Wonderstruck I knew right away I wanted to read it. So I am more than delighted to be part of her partymob team for Wonderstruck. I’ve been reading the sneak preview of the book and I will be sharing the best parts with you on Fridays. If you are eager to learn how to live…
What do you think? Does it really matter what you choose today? The world is big, you are small…does it really matter what you choose today? I dare to say yes. It does matter what we do each day. It does matter what we choose. Why? Because each choice we make changes us into one direction or another. Yes, you can’t see or feel the difference today but in five years time you can already see or feel it. It…
Are you exhausted, ready to quit? Do you feel lost or weak? Are you tired of waiting? The darker it gets outside, the harder it is to believe that there is light, there is purpose, there is God. Sometimes life seems like a desert. But no matter how we feel, God is real. No matter how things seem, there is hope. Sure, there are periods of time when God seems distant. Sure, there are periods of time when nothing happens…
“Is your default mode toward others judgment or grace?” asked Rick Warren on Twitter a few years ago. It got me thinking. This is crucial. Have I fully embraced grace, been changed inside out and now truly reflecting and extending God’s love and grace? And not hate, doom, and judgment? Because God is love and he wants us to live and move in grace. “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so…
Spiritual books are my companions on my way home to God. Books are my spiritual friends and I love spending time with them. And most of all I love that they enrich my thinking, empower my spiritual walk, and encourage me on my pilgrimage. Of course, the most important book in any Christian’s life is the Bible. I cherish it and I devour it daily. I enjoy comparing different translations and I am forever in awe how God can speak…
Prayer is such an awesome gift for us. We just neglect it too often. We somehow don’t believe enough in its power. But can we afford not to pray? I don’t think so. I have written a post about my reasons why I can not live without prayer. Prayer simply invites God into our lives. Hence prayer enables us to be human and leaves everything else to God. Prayer is also an antidote for anxiety and a power tool in God’s…
People who don’t know better think believing in God is just about rules, regulations, and religious behavior. If this was true, I’d be the first to quit. I am not drawn to religiousness. I am drawn to God. And not to a statue somewhere. But to the Living God: personal, relational, active. Christian faith is not about keeping alive a bunch of rituals and commemorating a fairy tale. Christian faith is celebrating the freedom we receive by grace through faith…
“God majors in impossibility” is one of those uplifting, encouraging, and empowering facts of faith Mary DeMuth writes about in her new Everything book. Impossible is nothing to God, he is mighty powerful! Also nothing is impossible with God, he will empower us to thrive by grace. This quote encourages me to embrace life fully no matter what happens: “God’s heart…is not that we escape our lot, but that we learn to thrive in the midst of it” (Mary DeMuth)….
