I was eating only fruits, vegetables, and some whole grains. I felt amazing, had energy like never before, and was learning to appreciate the little things—like fresh strawberries on a hot day and homemade salsa with some warm baked pita bread. I loved it, and I kept thinking, “This is what God must have intended!” […]

This week, our community study of Planted is focusing on the discipline of prayer. This can easily turn into a neglected part of our spiritual walk, a selfish wish list, or a last resort in desperate times. But we are called to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) and, through the blood of Christ, we […]

“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare […]

Making friends is hard. I’d like to say that it’s just my season of life or the fact that I just moved to a new city, but really—no matter what season of life you’re in and what city you move to, friendship doesn’t always start out easily. Because I’ve worked with students for awhile now, […]

I’m not yet 30, but I’m old enough to remember dial-up connections and AOL Instant Messenger, “away messages” to let people know when you were away from your computer, arguing with siblings over who got to use the computer to “get online,” and then arguing again when your time was up because you were in […]

When Stress Changes Our Plans In 2015, my Labor Day did not go according to plan. Instead of spending an enjoyable day with friends, I sat in an emergency care center learning that I had shingles. One of the diagnostic questions the doctor asked me was if I had recently been under significant stress to […]

This post was written by Brendt Blanks. Brendt is the founder of She Gave It A Go, an online community that is all about empowering and encouraging women to pursue the meaningful things in their lives. Faith, family, and farmhouse decor are her three favorite topics to talk about. She is married to her husband of […]

I wanted to get my nails done. We had some extra money, and I knew my husband wouldn’t really mind—he’d probably even say that I deserved to treat myself! But there was something in the back of my mind that made me feel guilty, so I was contemplating what to say to him before leaving […]

a well-watered woman Fernie Cosgrove is an active member of our online community and recently completed the Walk in Grace: Ephesians study with us. We know you will enjoy reading what this fellow well-watered woman has shared about her life and her walk with Jesus!   Introduce yourself as if we were on a coffee […]

“I saved a seat for you!” These words from my new friend were exactly what I needed to hear to take a deep breath and relax. Just moments before, I had been sitting in my car and very seriously considering just going home. As a generally outgoing person, I was embarrassed by how nervous I […]