It's not just about saying God's name the wrong way...it's about carrying it the wrong way. There was a time I thought the Third Commandment was simple. “Don’t say God’s name in a disrespectful way.” That’s what I always believed it meant. But as I’ve been reading and studying Scripture more, I’m realizing…it goes much deeper than just words. God says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who takes His name in

When I Didn’t Know If I Belonged to Him For a long time, I struggled with this question: “Am I really saved?” I would look at my life and wonder: Is this real? Do I actually belong to Jesus? Some days I felt close to Him. Other days, I questioned everything. I found myself constantly measuring: my actions my failures my inconsistencies Trying to figure out if I was “enough.” But the more I looked at myself…the more uncertain I became. Because deep down, I was trying to find

Transform your life into Worship: Bow, Serve and Glorify God in Everyday Moments As I walked into church on Good Friday, something small stopped me in my tracks. I remembered how I used to bow in reverence before entering the pew when I attended a Catholic church. This time, I felt the urge—but I pushed past it. After all, I don’t go to a Catholic church anymore. But the next morning, as I was studying my Bible, I came across two words that stirred something deeper: Bow and s

Lessons from the 2nd Commandment on Loving, Obeying, and Knowing God used to wonder if I was worshipping God the right way. After reading Scripture and studying it closely, I started reflecting on the crosses and pictures of Jesus in my home. I would often look at them in awe, unsure if it was okay to have them or how I should relate to them. In the past, I even found myself bowing toward them and speaking as if I were directly talking to Jesus. It felt natural at the time,

I Thought I Had to Get It Together First For most of my life, I believed something that a lot of people quietly carry: “I need to get my life together before I can really follow God.” I thought obedience came first. That I had to prove something. That I had to clean myself up before I could truly belong to Him. But looking back now… I see something completely different. God moved first. God Doesn’t Start With Rules—He Starts With Rescue This became real to me when I read Exo

It’s More Than Teaching—It’s a Call to Transformation Studying Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount has been both astonishing and challenging for me. What stands out most isn’t just what He says—it’s how He says it . Jesus doesn’t quote tradition. He doesn’t soften truth. He speaks with the authority of God. And what He calls us to isn’t behavior change—it’s heart transformation . When God Started Changing My Heart The Beatitudes really caught me off guard. I’ve always been bold. I say

I Thought I Was Listening… But I Wasn’t Building This morning, I spent time in Matthew 7:24–27 —the story Jesus tells about the wise and foolish builders. I’ve read it before. But today, it felt different. It didn’t feel like a simple story about houses…it felt like a mirror. A mirror showing me my life, my choices, and even my relationships. Because the difference between the two builders isn’t knowledge— It’s obedience. What Jesus Actually Means by “Building on the Rock” Je

When I Thought I Knew God… But I Didn’t Know Him Personally When I look back on my life, I can see something clearly now that I couldn’t see then: I was walking in the dark… and didn’t even realize it. For a long time, I thought, “I’ve got this.” But I didn’t see the stronghold the enemy had on me. I didn’t understand what Jesus had truly done for me on the cross. And honestly, there were moments I even wondered if I was losing my mind. But the truth was this: I didn’t know J

A Conversation That Made Me Pause At my life group recently, something was said that stuck with me. Someone mentioned that you can look at a pastor’s children to see their “fruit.” And I’ll be honest—it didn’t sit right with me. Not because I wanted to dismiss it…but because something in my spirit paused. It made me ask: Is that actually what Jesus meant when He said we’d recognize people by their fruit? What I Thought Fruit Meant When I read Matthew 7 , I always understood f

I used to see dandelions as nothing more than weeds - something to pull, something that didn’t belong in a well-kept yard. But the other day, I actually stopped and looked at one. Bright yellow. Standing tall in the middle of uneven grass… not asking permission to grow. And then I noticed something I’ve seen a thousand times but never really understood - that same flower doesn’t stay yellow. It transforms. The petals close. It looks like it’s fading… almost dying. And then it

I Thought I Could Recognize Truth… Until I Was Tested I used to think I was pretty good at spotting spiritual truth. I felt confident in what I believed. I thought I could easily recognize what was from God and what wasn’t. But recently, something my pastor said made me pause—and honestly, it unsettled me more than I expected. It made me realize something I hadn’t fully seen before: Even well-meaning words can throw me off if I’m not rooted deeply in God. What Jesus Says Abou

It Sounds Simple… Until You Try to Live It Following Jesus sounds simple at first. Trust Him. Love others. Live a good life. But the more I study His teachings—especially the Sermon on the Mount—the more I realize something: Walking with Jesus is both deeply simple… and incredibly challenging. There is a narrow gate. A hard path. A call to humility, obedience, and love that goes deeper than behavior—it reaches the heart. And yet, somehow, within that challenge…there is also g

When I Thought Truth Was Enough I used to pride myself on being bold. I said what was on my mind and didn’t worry about who it offended. In my mind, it was truth—and truth mattered more than feelings. But looking back, I can see the real problem: It wasn’t just what I said… it was the condition of my heart. My words weren’t rooted in love. I judged quickly. I reacted emotionally. I put myself first... And it showed up in ways I can’t ignore: I missed my son’s baseball games I

There was a time I thought Jesus was simply warning about money - don't be greedy, give more, be responsible. But when I slowed down and really read Matthew 6:22-24, I realized that He was speaking to something much deeper: my heart and what it's truly devoted to. Jesus says the "eye is the lamp of the body." At first, that confused me. But in biblical language, a "good eye" meant generosity, while a "bad eye" meant being stingy or self-focused. That stopped me. Because th

What God taught me about looking inward first and loving others the right way \\\\\\\\\\\\\ When I Thought I Was “Speaking Truth” I used to think being “bold in truth” meant pointing out what was wrong in other people. At a job I truly loved—one I later lost—I found myself constantly noticing the flaws in my coworkers. The way they handled things. The decisions they made. The attitudes they carried. And in my mind, I justified it. I told myself I was just being discerning. Th

Trusting God to redeem your past and guide your future, step by step Haunted by ‘What Ifs’ Have you ever been haunted by a single choice—or by all the “what ifs” that followed? I know I have. For years, anxiety ruled my heart. I replayed decisions I regretted and wondered how life might have been different: Would my life have turned out better if I hadn’t made that choice? Would my career have been easier? Could I have avoided mistakes that still weigh on me today? For a lo

Lessons from our own childhoods and how God is calling us to show up for the next generation Looking Back at Our Childhoods When my husband and I look back on our childhoods, we see two very different stories—but the same truth runs through both: families can unintentionally drift from God, and children can feel disconnected—even when life looks “fine.” I grew up with comfort, opportunities, and stability—but I didn’t truly learn how to walk in faith. My husband grew up in a

Learning to step away from something that feels perfect, but isn't part of God's plan. When What Feels Perfect Isn’t Right I never thought I would willingly walk away from something that felt so right. Maybe you’ve felt the same way—staying in a job, relationship, or season that seems perfect on the surface, but something inside whispers that it isn’t right. For me, it was my career. I had finally found a role that felt like the answer to what my soul had been searching for.

Have you ever found yourself asking: “How do I know what God is calling me to do?” I’ve been sitting in that question a lot lately. Not just in a big, life-purpose kind of way—but in my everyday life. In my home. With my gifts. With this pull I feel but can’t fully explain. And if I’m being honest… it feels confusing sometimes. Because I don’t hear a loud voice. I don’t get a clear step-by-step plan. And I don’t always feel qualified. A Simple Truth About God’s Calling Here