We all have heard the story – Young lad vs. Huge Giant. Sling shot of a kid vs. well armed military giant What Goliath have you faced? Insufficient bank account vs. huge need. Waning faith vs. a devasting medical diagnosis. Tear-stained pillows vs. a crumbling marriage. Weary mom vs. the addiction of a child. A dream vs. years of closed doors. What is your Goliath today? What has God promised...
Will You Be My Love?
In Ancient Rome, it was common place to abandoned babies and children less than three years of age on the side of the road. Babies were abandoned if they were deformed, or if parents couldn’t afford to take care of them, or if it were an unwanted pregnancy. The early Christian Church began the practice of gathering these unwanted babies. They would often raise these unwanted babies as their own...
Why Fear?
I made the mistake of watching a few “internet prophets”. Gloom and doom were their forecast. And if I’m honest, that is what I see with my natural eyes. So worry began to creep into my heart. Fear wanted a seat at my table. As you watch the news and perhaps even listen to spiritual leaders, have you allowed fear to sit at your table? Have you allowed worry and...
WHO ARE YOU? Another shooting. Another political scandal. Another fallen religious leader. What can I do? I’m just a girl. I’m just a teacher. I’m just a mom. Let me stay in my lane. But then I hear a whisper. “You are not just…” You are a praying girl. You are a faith-filled girl. You are a daughter of the King. You have been giving authority to subdue darkness, take...
Got Faith? “Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and she had a son.” Hebrews 11:11 CEV “Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was well past the age for having children. So she laughed and said to herself, “Now that I am worn out and my husband is old, will I really know such happiness?””...
A PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE “Thank you, Mrs. Bolden, for everything”, NL said, handing me a box of chocolates. I smiled and thanked him. NL is a nice, hard-working young man. He has a good work ethic, is very well-mannered and an overall joy to teach. But his parents have been somewhat concerned because he was not an A student in Calculus. They have requested a parent conference, asked if he could...
“Can my son have extra time on the test,” the parent inquired. Her son, a sophomore in AP Calculus, had a B. He had never had a B before. He was always the “smartest in the class.” She reasoned, surely the time restraints were preventing her child from achieving an A. As teachers, we receive similar requests often. ”Make life easier for my child.” Prevent my child (and me) from...
Overcoming Failure
Failure. No one likes it. Yet, it is inevitable. They had taken Jericho miraculously – a victory, we still marvel about thousands of years later. This victory gave them the confidence needed to take their promised land and establish Joshua as leader. Their next encounter, the small insignificant city of Ai, was supposed to be an easy victory. They sent a fraction of their men to secure this victory. And...
I have a confession. I try to be transparent on my page because as a teacher, I want you to learn from my example. But also, I want to model a lifestyle that is contemplative and repentive. There is absolutely no condemnation in Christ, therefore it’s okay to examine yourself and admit you were wrong. Today, I must examine my thoughts and admit I was wrong. If you have never...
How Do You Respond to Rejection? What did Jesus do? The time had come. The mob came to seize Jesus. Peter’s response was to draw a sword and defend his friend. But when Jesus made it clear there would be no violence on their part, the disciples fled… All of them. John did not even take time to put clothes on and fled naked. Jesus’ friends…who had seen the miracles...