Do you feel like you are in a losing fight with sin? Check out this post and be encouraged.

“Ephesians 6:12 says “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” I feel this so keenly in my own life. The world actively seeks to pull our hearts away from Christ and so does my own flesh. Every day I find my heart seeking to kick God off the throne and establish myself as ruler and lord. The world can be so convincing, tricking my heart into loving and desiring things like a trendy house, luxurious vacations, and well-behaved kids. There are no neutral hearts. We are loving something - is it Christ?”

Sharon shared with us her experience with exploring the history of an area whose history had been masked by more trendy things that appeal to our comforts rather than challenge our thinking and theology. Here she takes us a step farther to explore the construction and deconstruction of our faith and how Christ’s life challenges us as we come to various conclusions about what we believe.

Happy Black History Month!

It's that time of year again and we celebrate,

but no need to do anything extra.

I see you everyday!

Yes, I had gained my beautiful children, but more importantly, I had gained a love for God and a dependence on Him that I never would have known. I had come to know God in such a way that nothing could ever convince me that He doesn't love me. I know that he made me a mother on purpose and that it is a good thing. He knows my shortcomings and carries me when they are exposed. He knows my strengths and cultivates them for His glory. He knows how silly I am and that on hard days, sometimes that is just what my family needs! When I realized He knew me, I could press forward.

Why is self-sufficiency so dangerous? Because even one moment spent thinking we can do anything on our own, is a moment spent thinking we don’t need God. This is the same God who puts breath in our lungs each day. The same God who holds all of the universe together in its beautiful, delicate balance. The same God who created the winds and the waves, and can command them to act as He pleases. Do we really want to say that there is a moment we don’t need THIS God?

“I never thought I would be one to experience anxiety as I saw it differently in other people than how it came about in myself. Understanding that I am not in control of my life therefore I cannot control what happens in the future, forces me to rely on the One who is in control. Hiding scripture in my heart that reminds me of how good God is and how He only has good things for me, helps to relieve the anxiety I feel about the unknown.”

This is the time of the year where we celebrate, with anticipation, the coming of Christ. However, everyone’s waiting is not met with glowing lights and tied with a pretty lace and satin bow. The real issues of life do not typically take a recess at Christmas time. But one thing we can be sure of is this: Jesus Christ does not turn a blind eye to His people or the circumstances of our lives. As you read the following poem and perhaps, wrestle with the duality of the hard facts of life and the beautiful hope of our Savior, let us remember to celebrate. We celebrate Emmanuel; God with us, not because life is perfect, but because He is.