I Spoke Up

In the spirit of honesty and vulnerability, I want to admit that I went on an unintentional hiatus on here for a few weeks. The reason for that was because I wanted to write about my life but I could not find the words. I also couldn't find the courage to continue to speak up when my life was overtaken by busyness and a feeling like there was not enough space to breathe. But I hate using that excuse. I don't like looking at my friends and backing out of plans by stating that "Things are crazy right now" and so I can't be there for them as I would like to be. Don't get me wrong, no one loves to spend alone time and enjoy self-care more than me, but I feel like there is never a good enough reason to check out of relationships or responsibilities. Saying, "Things are crazy right now" for me usually means I have not been managing my time well, I have not been spending time with the Lord, I am stressed far beyond my regular level, and I don't feel l...

I heard this phrase: "I was born to do hard things" in a teaching this morning and suddenly it hit me, I was created for more than an ordinary life. I know we have all been told this, maybe we all have something on our walls that says "you are amazing, live amazing" (I don't know... I totally made that up), but how many of us believe it? How many of us actually lean into that feeling on the inside that says, "hey, maybe there is more to life than this." And maybe we don't want to because it feels like wanting to be great or longing for a glorious existence is not Christian or humble, but I'm beginning to understand that this feeling was placed in us by God himself. The greatness and beauty in you and me show others how great and beautiful He is, and our inability to step into that is less a testament of His power than it is a testament of our fear. And sometimes it's not even fear, it's straight up laziness. I can't tell you how...

So I preached in our youth service last night and wrote a bunch of stuff down. My notes kind of went out the window when I started talking, but I thought they were worth sharing anyway. You should probably read John 8 before reading this, cause this kind of picks up in me trying to understand the context of the incident with the adulterous woman.. __________________________ This took place during a Jewish festival, everyone and their mother was in Jerusalem. Jesus had actually been mocked by his siblings to go: “and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! 4 You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” 5 For even his brothers didn’t believe in him. 6 Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. 7 The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. 8 You go on. I’m not going to this fe...