I Am Already Free!

Free indeed!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36 NIV)

Lately, I have been wrestling with really knowing that I am already free.  It seems like a simple thing to understand, because the Bible tells us that since Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins, we have been set free.  No strings attached and unconditionally.

The Importance of a Father's Love

I can still recall the feeling I would get when I would hear someone say, "I am Daddy's little girl." For years I thought I would never experience what it felt like to be "Daddy's little girl." I believe it is something every girl longs for in her life. . .to be cherished, loved, and treasured by our earthly fathers.

Whole Spotlight: Haley Phelps of Hope 4 Tomorrow

I love meeting women full of zeal for Christ! We have even featured many here on Spotlight such as Lauren DeMoss, and MiMi Atkins. But when I discovered that Haley Phelps was 16 years old, on FIRE for Jesus, and already a VP of an organization, I was taken aback.

Thoughts From the Wilderness

I sat down to watch a movie the other night called, “Wild.” It is not a Christian movie, but I was surprised to find God showing me many things through it, as if it were an analogy for our walks with God.

The synopsis of the movie, which was adapted from a memoir, tells the story of a woman who

Why We Don't Need to Fear the Proverbs 31 Woman

How many times have you heard a woman express her fears of never being able to live up to the Proverbs 31 Woman standard? There are a plethora of articles about how Christian women today simply cannot walk in her footsteps, so we shouldn't strive to, let alone concern ourselves with the superwoman.

Her Heart Was Filled with Pride, Until One Woman Changed Her Life

1 Peter 5:5-6, “5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Dethrone Your Past: 3 Ways to Keep Moving Forward

Recently, I have had some past, family issues resurface.  I feel very vulnerable sharing, but transparency is necessary in our walks with God, for healing and to help others who struggle with similar situations. 

I was not raised by my biological mother; she left before I was two years old.  I was left with a father who was addicted to drugs, and as a result, had an explosive temper.

Come Back to the Heart of Worship

This year, instead of a New Year’s Resolution, I decided in my heart that I wanted to discover what I am passionate about and what makes me so, and to pursue knowledge, wisdom, and service in those things. So far, the Lord has led me to a few things: marriage, writing, photography/art, community, Godly and Biblical femininity, and worship (as musical form specifically).

Miracle-Working Firepower

In Acts chapter 5, we read of the sick being healed simply by coming into contact with the shadow of Peter: “…they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them…and they were all healed.”

5 Ways to Smart-Guarding Your Heart

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23 NLV)

I have wrestled greatly with the concept of openness and vulnerability while guarding my heart at the same time.  It never seemed to go hand in hand.  

How could I love to the fullest and keep my heart guarded?  It did not seem possible.

Why Do We Confess?

Recently, my husband and I began attending a marriage enrichment program at our church called Re|engage. This programs helps couples move towards oneness through the testimonies of other couples, worship, prayer, and small group. It is a 16-week experience existing help reignite your marriage or completely restore it.

Smart and Single: Rules While Waiting

Being single isn't easy.  It can be lonely, right? Days like Valentine's Day seem to rub it in your face mercilessly. When I was suddenly single after being widowed, I had some things to learn before I could ever move on and entertain dating. I had a lot to learn about myself and it was necessary to set some firm boundaries with myself and for myself.

Come Now, Let's Settle This

If you have been around church long enough, you have likely heard these analogies of God’s forgiveness: Sins removed as far as the east is from the west, stains washed whiter the snow, and transgressions remembered no more.

Finding Beauty in Every Season

As I write this, snow melts outside my window. It doesn't snow much in South Carolina, so when it does, I cherish it, because I know it’ll probably be at least another year before it come again.  

Although the cold seasons are my favorite time of the year, I must admit: I've been having spring fever recently. 

A Consistent Faith

Consistency:  Agreement, harmony, or compatibility, especially correspondence or uniformity among the parts of a complex thing.

We live in a world that is always changing and with so much change, consistency often times falls to the wayside.  It is always about bigger and better, but not as often about stability and lasting.

The Real Deal On Submission

All quotations and credit, besides the Bible, are from a sermon from my college Elder at my church Jarod Gilcher. 

I understand this is dangerous grounds to be on, talking about submission, but, please hear me out. Society, as always, has tainted the very concept that God uses to glorify Him, as a term to suppress and oppress women.