Recently my eight-year-old daughter asked me if people can be happy without Jesus. I answered her in the moment, but I’ve been thinking about and attempting to refine my answer ever since. Yes, I believe the world is brimming with good things that can bring happiness to all people. Loving relationships, delectable food, satisfying careers,…
Tag: Freedom
3 Pitfalls of Doubt for the Religious
Some people wear their scars on the outside. Life circumstances make it obvious that there is a need for wholeness and healing. We love to see God’s grace and mercy transform regular humans into what 2 Corinthians calls a “new creation.” The addict turned counselor. The depressed turned joyful. The wanderer who finds the way…
3 Truths I Need When I Doubt Myself
I’m overwhelmed. I don’t have this. I’m not smart enough. I’m not strong enough. I’m just not enough. These are some of the thoughts that swirl sometimes as I’m trying to tackle the different parts of my life. I’m striving, striving, striving. But there aren’t enough hours in the day. I don’t have enough emotional…
When Conviction Leads to the Less Traveled Path
Do you ever find your convictions leading you upstream, taking you outside the norm, even in the context of Christian community? I often find myself wanting validation from others around me about my convictions. While encouragement and community with like-minded people are invaluable, it is not what is of most importance. Being around so many…
Free to Live at Peace
We live in a world of outrage. War, death, and injustice are happening all around us, in large and seemingly small scales. At any given moment we can read something on Facebook that offends our views, opinions, and even our own selves. Is there a different way to live, or must we always be upset…
That Which Cannot Be Earned
Years ago, I sat across from my counselor to hear her say, “Nothing you do can make God love you more or make God love you less.” My thinking was forever changed. To some, this might sound like a no brainer. But even though I was raised as an evangelical Christian, it was news to…
True Freedom
Current Location: Sunny San Diego. More specifically at my hotel’s outside oasis, surrounded by palm trees, orange umbrellas, pool lounger chairs. As I await my afternoon flight, I am naturally drawn to people watching. All sorts of folks have flocked to the pool area, splashing in the water, sipping their icy beverages in the alfresco…
Book Review: You Are Free
Rebekah Lyons’s book, “You Are Free”, came into my life at exactly the right moment. I call these moments God-ordained, meaning it is only by His divine purpose and intention that this particular event happened at that specific of a time in my life. Much like God would be whispering, “Sarah, ya need to read…
Anchored Voices 