wordspread

I vividly remember a night when my siblings and I were acting a little bit (or perhaps a "lot bit") crazy... I don't remember what we were doing specifically, but I do remember that Dad was continually reminding us to be kind to one another. Next thing we knew, Dad had written " be kind " on his forehead with red lipstick. He was tired of verbally reminding us to be kind, and this was his solution... ...and let's just say just say he made a solid point by having bright red lipstick on his forehead. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. But unfortunately, the word "kindness" is often hijacked by culture, and we lose sight of the very definition of this spiritual fruit. Yikes! Our culture would define kindness as passive tolerance - letting others do, say, or believe whatever they want to; supporting them regardless of whether or not their pursuits and desires align with the truth of scripture. When a word gains a new, incorrect definition from cultur...

Check out this article I wrote a few months ago for TGC - the Gospel Coalition. There are tons of amazing resources on the TGC website! Go check them out!!  Young Adults - You're More than a Job Title #wordspread

Making sourdough bread takes a while. But, it's worth it... when it turns out. I've been learning a lot about patience lately. We live in a world of instant gratification, and I think it very beneficial to the soul to put in the work for a day or two before you get your perfect loaf of bread. It's by no means as convenient  as going to the store and buying a loaf for $5.99, but where is the joy or accomplishment in that!? Well, I'll give it to you, it is worth it sometimes to pay for convenience. But anyways, if you want to do it yourself, here are some tips. Remember, Jesus is the bread of life, and as you make bread, think of all the ways bread-making correlates to your faith walk. I'm going to leave this very open-ended. Just think about it, and see what you come up with. Happy thinking! And happy bread-making! Perhaps I'll share my list of correlations at some point. Let's start with a recipe. If you know me, I don't use recipes, so this means a lot....

Have you ever done something kind for someone and been told, "You're a saint!!!" ? What was your response? Did you blush or roll your eyes?  Have you ever thought about what that word "saint" actually means? My response in the past has been an inward eye-roll. I'll never be good enough to be a saint , says my mind. And that's exactly where the devil wants us to get stuck. Of course we can never be "good enough." But, thankfully, this story isn't about me, and it isn't about you. Join me in exploring this word "saint" for a few moments. Ditch the dictionary, and pull out your Bible.  Whether or not you've thought about this five-letter-word, I'm here to tell you something that may sound slightly radical: You're a saint.  What is a "saint"?? The short answer? YOU! The long answer? Those who are in Christ. Also you (and if not, the invitation is there for you: trust Christ as your Savior!). Hear me out: If y...

A baby's first breath declares His name: Yahweh: Our Good Creator.  The ancient letters Y-H-W-H are more than just a name As the lungs first fill with air, the sound that's heard is "Yah" And as the babe exhales, the sound that's made is "weh" In and out the breath of life Is there Inside the lungs! His name: the only word they know And then, those babies cry Their first reaction to this life: It's uncomfortable, this world! In their cry they sing of hope For comfort from another Their cry declares His name and then, declares their need for mother  We all once took our last first breath, And there we cried for help We most consider each precious babe As able to declare the name of God: Yahweh It's the name you still declare today Every time you breathe So remember that even if you lack the words You'll always speak His name: YHWH #spreadtheword

Consider yourself addressing wedding invitations: 1. You put together a list of all the people who are important to you. 2. You pick a time and a location for the wedding, considering when would work best for all your people. 3. You create an invitation - it's beautifully done, with words communicating the most important information (you might even write: "details to come...") 4. You seal and address your envelopes 5. You buy some stamps, stick them in the mail, and wait for a response from your guests.  ________________ Now, consider Jesus, the bridegroom, doing this for His people:  ALL people are important to Him.  The time and location of His second coming is unknown, but we're asked to be ready. It's almost like a "save the date," except we're supposed to save EVERY date for His wedding. He has created an invitation, beautifully written: His Word. He has sealed salvation for us - he paid the price not for stamps, but for our salvation.  He sent ...

The devil wants me to be so selfish that I forget I'm called to selflessness (Philippians 2:3-4).  The devil wants me so focused on my appearance that I neglect to see and display the fact that I'm made in God's image (Genesis 1:27).  The devil wants me so focused on exercise that I forget that spiritual training is what is most valuable (1 Timothy 4:8) The devil wants me to be so focused on my husband that I forget that Christ is the true bridegroom (2 Corinthians 11:12). The devil wants me so focused on children that I forget to recognize how I'm a child of God (John 1:12). The devil wants me so focused on earthly legality that I forget to follow God's law (Romans 13:1-7). The devil wants me so focused on food that I forget Christ calls Himself the Bread of Life (John 6:35). The devil wants me so focused on what I'm wearing that I forget to put on my spiritual clothing, or the righteousness and armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-15, Isaiah 61:10).  The devil wants m...