This year I’ve been thinking a lot about three little letters. Y-E-S. Whether we say them timidly or with great conviction and fortitude, they hold the power to radically transform every part of our lives when we say them to the Lord. It’s such a simple word, yet so profound. It holds within it so
Why Good Friday is called good.
Transform your prayer life by discovering 4 keys straight from Scripture to start praying more powerfully and effectively.
What is a prayer? What makes it effective? In this post you’ll learn 2 questions that will help you pray more effectively.
(Photo: Unsplash) “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.” Joshua 1:6 ESV As I sat down to begin reading the book of Joshua, these familiar words stared up at me. Mountains of sermons, books,...
When I was a kid I complained rather frequently about being bored. What can I say? I was an only child with no siblings to entertain (or annoy) me. My mom finally got so exasperated that she said, “If you tell me you’re bored again, I’ll give you something to do–and you won’t like it.” Something abo
If you’re feeling frustrated and discouraged because it seems like God isn’t answering your prayers, try praying for him to mold your heart to desire what he desires. And perhaps spend a little time in repentance and confession. You’ll find it so cleansing and freeing. He will answer those prayers every time!
When I first began to notice the cracks in my faith, which would soon split into a self-imposed chasm between me and God, my heart was gripped with anger and fear. Anger over the circumstances that caused my questions, and fear that I may never find my way back to the warmth and safety of the Father
Your love for people and spending time with them can be both a gift and your downfall. But your personality really can infuse rich dimension into your prayer life if you take intentional steps to make it happen. Here are two simple ways you can do just that:
This is the third installment in the Prayer Personality Series, and today’s post is all about The Planner. If this is all new to you and you have no idea what a prayer personality is you can take this fun quiz and find out more here. Planner’s are some of my favorite kind of people. As someone
Today’s post is all about the Free Spirit Prayer Personality. If you’re new here and wondering what in the world a prayer personality is, check out this post for a quick rundown that will get you up to speed on how to make your unique personality work for you instead of against you in prayer. And
You’re here! Cue the party music! Welcome to the first installment of the Prayer Personality breakdown. (If you’re new, check out this post for a quick intro.) In this series, I want to encourage you to lean into the way God has uniquely designed you, and help you learn to use those very strengths
I’m a firm believer that prayer shouldn’t be frustrating or a source of shame or insecurity…but just because we believe that doesn’t always make it so. I’m well aware that our feelings about prayer can come with more baggage than a jumbo jet. That’s why I created a fun prayer personality quiz to hel
Here are two (of many) ways that asking what the Bible teaches us about God revolutionizes our reading and studying.
This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine! It’s a win-win! To read my full disclosure click here. We’ve been talking
I like to introduce you to dear friends who share beautiful words through the occasional guest post. I’d like you to meet Kelly Havemeier, a wonderful friend and writer of sweet, encouraging words. Enjoy her thoughts and then follow her for more (you can find all her details at the end of the post).
For as long as I can remember, praying has not come easily. As a teenager I remember looking around at church and wondering, Does everyone else struggle with this as much as I do? Or do they have it all figured out? I spent years (okay, decades) struggling to find the motivation, the time, the
This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. To read my full disclosure click here. There’s nothing I love more than book
This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. It’s a win-win situation! To read my full disclosure click here . Can you b
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. It’s a win-win situation! To read my full disclosure click here .
I’ve been talking a lot about prayer lately (you can find those posts here and here ). We know it’s an essential part of the Christian life, and yet for so many of us, it’s a struggle. A struggle to find the words, the time, the desire. And for all of these reasons and more, it becomes a source o
Infertility is not a regular topic of discussion on my blog, but finding hope during difficult, and often heartbreaking, seasons definitely is. I wanted my lovely friend, Seneca Epley , to share her journey here because even if you haven’t faced this particular pain, the beautiful faith that Go
For as long as I’ve been following Jesus I’ve thought there was something wrong with me. I can firmly confess that I’ve believed myself to be defective in a certain area of my relationship with God for decades. What area might that be, you ask? Prayer. I’ve never been diagnosed with ADHD, I could
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. It’s a win-win for everyone! Click here to read the full disclos
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You won’t be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. It’s a win-win for everyone, really! To read my full disclosure click
Hi, my name is Erica, and for years I struggled with prayer. Just picture me in a church basement amidst a circle of chairs making this confession. Except there is no such place to make this confession. In my experience, not many people are lining up to shout this from the rooftops. If you’re
This is a guest post from Madison Metcalf. She is kicking off our series on prayer. She’s a great friend, and the youth and college pastor at our church —and definitely someone you should know! You can find more inspiration and teaching from her at boundblessings.com . Check it out today!
I stared at the email, beautifully and kindly worded but nevertheless soul-crushing. It was the period at the end of a season that had felt pregnant with the possibility of long-held dreams coming true. Some I never even truly had the courage to hope for. And just like that—it was over. Or so it see
This post is a little bit different. But this entire season has been a little different, right? I don’t know about you, but I’ve been looking for ways to get through it with my heart and mind in the best possible place. With that goal in mind, I thought I’d share two things* I’ve found recently
Outside my window trees are tossing down their crimson, golden and blaze orange leaves, unfurling a vibrant welcome mat for the changing season. The newly cool autumn breeze brings along a sense of change. Do you feel it? Not just a shift in the weather, but a shift in the season. I don’t know
“In this world you will have trouble…” What an incredibly uplifting sentiment, right? I think the last few months have been evidence enough that this is true. So much pain, heartache and loss. Almost too much for the whole world to bear. Add to it isolation and loneliness and it c
Here’s your weekly roundup of podcasts–and an app–to help you as you develop your ability to hear from God and grow in the spiritual discipline of prayer. John and Lisa Bevere on Prayer You guys! If you’ve ever struggled with prayer or felt guilty about not praying enough, this podcas
I know, I know. You’re probably not going to design a t-shirt with this slogan. Don’t follow your heart —those words stand in stark opposition to literally everything you see today. “Do more of what makes your heart happy,” “follow your heart” and “trust your heart” is everywhere. It’s the
I’m sitting in a dark, quiet house, basking in the glow of Christmas lights while I reflect on this past year and think about the one ahead. What will I leave behind in 2019, and what will I carry forward into the new year? Maybe you’ve started asking yourself similar questions as we peer thr
First, I’d like to cheer and share about a great podcast I listened to the other day that’s fairly new, but sure to be around for awhile— Made for This with Jennie Allen. It’s only about 30 minutes long, but it packs lots of fun and wisdom into those brief minutes. This particular episode wa
*I first shared this post (and a series of “Confessions”) over 5 years ago on a previous blog, and it still humbles me to think of the lengths to which Jesus has gone to draw me close–and I’m still very much a work in progress. Many of you came to the blog after I wrote this series, so I’m sharing
Tuesday nights used to be the night the kiddos and I gathered around the TV to watch the latest episode of Fixer Upper . Our family loves Chip and Joanna Gaines! Their playful banter coupled with the incredible transformations of some of the ugliest, most dilapidated homes in Waco kept us tuning in
*I first shared this post (and a series of “Confessions”) over 5 years ago on a previous blog, and it still humbles me to think of the lengths to which Jesus has gone to draw me close. Many of you came to the blog after I wrote this series, so I’m sharing it again over the next several mon
I’m just going to put this right here; I don’t want to write this post. Suicide is an uncomfortable subject for me. It’s part of my past and I’d like to keep it there. Unfortunately, I think too often that’s what happens. We don’t want to talk about it. So we keep silent—until it’s too late.
I recently had a mini-crisis. Well, actually, it felt like a mega-crisis. And probably not a single soul around me even knew or noticed. But secretly, I was dissolving. Questioning my very purpose for existence. You see, I was 30 before I discovered what I was put on this earth to do, beyo
“For the accuser of our brothers and sistershas been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses thembefore our God day and night.And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamband by their testimony. ”Revelation 12:10-11 NLT (emphasis added) The words of our testimony. It’s hard to argue with
On Tuesday nights you’ll find me and the kiddos gathered around the TV watching the latest episode of Fixer Upper . Our family loves Chip and Joanna Gaines! Their playful banter coupled with the incredible transformations of some of the ugliest, most dilapidated houses in Waco keep us tuning in wee
I’m not going to lie; there are a lot of things in the Bible I don’t understand. One I’ve puzzled over for years is the story of Moses and Pharaoh and the 10 plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7-11). Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart, an act that resulted in the slaughter of every firstborn male in all of
Spoiler Alert: My new book, Holy Doubt: Hope for Fractured Faith and Questioning Hearts is available now on Amazon. If you or someone you know is struggling with God, this book will be a huge help along the sometimes dark and painful path through doubt (snag a copy here ). Some of you s
I had a weird thought last week. My brain is a tangle of to-do lists for the launch of my book, Holy Doubt . While publishing it is a literal dream come true, it’s also a nightmare of overwhelming firsts. Cover designs, formatting, and marketing demands are making my head spin, and reminding me
In his book, Quitter , Jon Acuff said he heard creativity defined as: “a wild mind with a disciplined eye.” I like that definition, because nobody has a wilder mild with a more focused and disciplined eye—and the capability to see it all come together to form a gorgeous masterpiece—than God.
If someone was asked to describe you in one word, what would they say? If you had to describe yourself in one word, what would that word be? If you knew me when I lived in India, and you were asked to describe me in a word, I’m one hundred percent confident that content would not have been among
“When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The ‘worst’ is never the worst.Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return.”Lamentations 3:28-31 I
People, I have lived 35 years on this earth. I have a husband, two children, and up until last week, thought I was a grown-up. That is until I took Michael Hyatt’s free webinar on goal-setting: “7 Steps for Taking Control of 2017,” and realized I was missing a key ingredient in adulting—focus. Y
Don’t worry I haven’t gone crazy and forgotten what holiday is coming up. We’re just a little behind on our holiday movie viewing over here at the Barthalow house. We were catching up last weekend by watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” because everyone knows you must watch the entire
If you grew up in church like I did you’ve probably heard these words, likely uttered at the worst possible moment in your life or the life of someone you love. In the throes of a tragedy, a sweet, well-meaning soul reaches over, reassuringly pats your back, and says, “God never gives us more than
Please allow me a Paul Revere moment: The holidays are coming! The holidays are coming! Whew! Got that out of my system. If those words strike fear into your heart the same way Paul Revere’s words did on that dark spring night several hundred years ago then get thee to a book store (or Amazon) r
It’s been hard to breathe the past couple of weeks. And it’s not because of my harvest-induced allergies (although that hasn’t helped). I can sum it up for you in one hideous word. Anxiety. I thought I’d kicked it. Left it behind. Buried it deep in my empty Xanax bottles and memories of India. W
Ever felt like God hates you? Or thought that God has abandoned you? I have. I’m writing a book about that time in my life. It’s filled with some very personal stories of how I walked through that season, and my prayer is that it will be honest enough to help someone else who can relate to what I
“I can do it myself!” Hang out with any strong-willed toddler and you’ll likely hear those words. I know they were on my lips as a kid because my mom likes to remind me that my stubborn, independent streak showed up early and often (and my husband will tell you it’s a trait that’s been finely honed
“Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is both something broken and something beautiful, that there is a sliver of lightness on even the darkest nights, a shadow of hope in every heartbreak, and that rejoicing is no less rich when it contains a splinter of sadness.” Shauna Niequist Bitte
Confession time: I have a pet peeve. (Alright, I probably have a lot of them, but for now I’m just talking about this one.) I am greatly annoyed when people, especially Christians, attack and dismiss an author and/or book based on the opinion of someone else. Never pausing to actually read the boo
What’s the craziest thing you’ve googled lately? Confession time: I may have recently googled “what football positions experience the highest rate of injury?” My seventh grade son Jacob is beginning his junior high school football career and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a few reservations.
**Find out how to win a free copy of anonymous: Jesus’ hidden years and yours by Alicia Britt Chole at the end of this post** Have you ever gone through a season where you felt anonymous? Unseen and completely unknown? Where all of the things, people, or tasks that made you feel important, signi
As I mentioned in a previous post I grew up in church, and I was a “good” church girl—fantastic at keeping the list of “things good Christian girls don’t do.” You know that list: don’t party, don’t cuss, don’t wear two-piece swimsuits, don’t listen to “secular” music etc. And I never really knew tha
As promised, here’s the first installment of the Honest Book Review. (Be sure to read on to the end of the post to find out how you can win a free copy of the book !!–2 winners will be chosen on Tuesday, August 2nd) This month’s book is Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith by Sarah
I’ve spent most of my life working for God. I grew up in an environment where we expressed our love for God through the things we did : we served, we sang, we went on missions trips, we did outreaches. Now please don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing, I have wonderful memories and lots of love