The Journey

Photo by: Tyler Nix When trudging through difficult situations, I find myself searching through scriptures for some sort of comfort. Something to ease the pain or to bring peace or even to confirm I am right and the whole world is wrong, I am searching for validation. Grasping, really. Anything that will quiet the storm brewing in my mind and the whirlwind of my emotions. One passage always brings easement no matter the battle. Hebrews 4:15-16 (NIV) states, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are--yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Did you know we have a sympathetic Savior? Typically, this passage is preached to encourage us in our struggles with temptation, assuage condemnation, and to open the altars for repentance. While that is certainl...

Carlisle & Reese Parental responsibility can be overwhelming on a good day. A child is multidimensional; therefore, the parent must make decisions that directly affect every aspect of the innocent's life. That is, spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, educational, and so on. The idea that a snap decision, sharp word, or an unintentional oversight made today could be a painful memory that is carried with them the rest of their lives, devastation that stunts their emotional growth, or a stumbling block that hinders their spiritual walk even into their adult years is daunting. Unresolved, childhood offenses can determine the type of people they become. Bleeding wounds, missed opportunities, feelings of deprivation or injustice spill over into all areas of their lives shaping what kind of parents they become whether rigid or lax, dogmatic or lackadaisical, doting or distant, spoiling or withholding. Earthly responsibility and heavenly accountability are how I view the ...

Photo by Wesley Tingey Hello. My name is Brittni and I am a cop show junkie. There, I said it. My love of cloak-and-dagger mystery comes from both of my parents--my dad, the former cop, and my mom who was the murder-and-mayhem junkie first. Nothing agitates me more than to see the innocent accused, the little man squashed by the powerful tycoon, the unsuspecting friend betrayed by the ambitious fortune-hunter, and so on. You get the picture. I despise injustice. I do adore the biblical story of Esther because there are so many nuggets to take away from this story. When I think of Esther, my focus is typically on the young girl, shrouded in God's favor with destiny and purpose all over her life. One who undergoes extensive beauty treatments for a year in preparation for her King, which speaks volumes to a single lady. However, in reading the short, scriptural book this week, my focus turned to Mordecai, Esther's cousin, and guardian after the death of her parents. I encourage ...