Faith
Living life with Jesus. Sharing my faith through real-life examples, my personal Bible studies, and stories shared. Being the hands and feet of Jesus and being salt and light to the world.
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God Looks at the Heart
A Devotional on David, Grace, and the Power of a Repentant Heart The last page of my Bible study today really hit me. It’s a truth we all need to hear and remember — especially in a world that constantly focuses on appearances, status, and perfection. Today’s study focused on King David, through the lens of two powerful verses: 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV): But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Acts 13:22 (NIV): After…
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It’s Not About What She Can’t Do
It’s Not About What She Can’t Do One day, a female student walked into my classroom carrying something heavy and awkward. I asked if she needed help. Her response caught me off guard: “Why does everyone think I need help? My boyfriend’s parents don’t think I can carry heavy things either.” I paused. Her words felt more like a defense than a reply. I gently asked what she meant. I explained that I wasn’t trying to insult her—I simply noticed she was carrying something that looked heavy, and I was offering help to lighten her load. That’s it. She seemed surprised by my explanation. Then she shared a story. She’d…
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We Threw A Party!
This year, both of my parents turned seventy-five. That’s a huge milestone—I mean, these people are old! My sweet mama had the idea to throw a surprise birthday party for my dad. After some consideration, my three sisters and I decided it would be a joint party—their birthdays are only four months apart. So, the game was on. We told my dad it was my nephew’s engagement party and led Mom to believe it was just for him. Meanwhile, my sisters and I got to work ironing out the details, each of us using our unique talents—one handled shopping and organization, another decorated the cake, the third brought her craftiness,…
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Friend Break-Ups
It’s okay if we’re not friends anymore—but just know, I’m still here when you need me. Maybe nothing happened. Maybe we’re just in different seasons of life. Maybe our kids are in different extracurriculars now. Maybe there was a moment—an awkward interaction or something between the kids—and it left you annoyed. Whatever the reason, good or bad: I’ll still be there. You need me to pray for you? I’m on it. You need my brutally honest, ill-filtered opinion? You got it. You need someone to keep your kids—whether it’s an emergency or not? I’ve got you covered. See, we may not talk anymore. We might just be acquaintances now. But…
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Community
Recently, my sisters and I threw a surprise birthday party for our parents. While reflecting on that day, what really struck me was the powerful sense of community. The room was filled with people my parents would want there the most—their family, siblings, close friends, and even their neighbor, who also happens to be my dad’s best friend since high school. There are people in your life who have just always been there, and for our family, that’s their neighbor. He’s an amazing man who has loved me like one of his own. He’s walked with my parents through it all—losses, surgeries, weddings, births, and every high and low in…
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A New Respect
A New Respect My younger sister has been a registered nurse for the last fifteen years or so. She’s an incredible nurse—and truly an incredible person. She’s always been one of my biggest cheerleaders, and we’ve always been close. So when she was in nursing school and asked me to help her study for an exam, it was a no-brainer. Now, I like to think of myself as a smart person. I’m a licensed elementary teacher. I have a reading endorsement on that license. I even took a class focused purely on phonics—relearning them myself and learning how to teach them to others. But the moment I started reading over…
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Fourth of July
Independence Day is a very special day. It marks the moment our country became a nation—when we were set free from the chains of England. July 4th, 1776 may be considered our nation’s birthday, but I believe the real Independence Day is the day Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’s death made our ultimate freedom possible. God came down from His throne in Heaven to be with us—to free us from ourselves and the bondage of sin. Much like our Founding Fathers, our Father in Heaven knew we needed saving. We needed freedom from the chains we had been bound to. Jesus came to bring us that freedom. He was…
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The Stress of Farming
Farming isn’t easy. There are breakdowns—mentally, emotionally, and physically. And for the farmer’s wife, it’s even harder watching it all unfold, knowing you’ve both been doing everything you can to keep the farm running. There’s the physical breakdown. Getting the call or text saying something’s broken and a parts run is needed is nerve-wracking. I have to drop what I’m doing and race out of wherever I am so my farmer can get back up and running. How many places will I need to go to find the part? Will John Deere still be open? Will I need to go to Menards? Where do I even start? Sometimes, even my…
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Marriage isn’t Easy
I can’t be an easy person to be married to. I mean, I’m anxious. I love Diet Dr. Pepper. I like the air conditioner set to sixty-eight degrees. I’m his passenger princess. I hog the blankets and the bed. My poor husband fears for his life most nights because I’m such an active sleeper. But that’s the thing—marriage isn’t easy. Adam and Eve had to go and make everything difficult for all of us. But if it were easy, would it even be worth it? When you weather storms and come out on the other side, doesn’t it make you stronger? Doesn’t it build perseverance? And in hindsight, aren’t you…
