Several years ago I started to notice a nagging toothache. I tried to ignore it, hoping it would resolve on its own. The pain stuck around, but I kept putting off a trip to the dentist. I imagined I would need a filling—or worse, a root canal—and the thought of an uncomfortable and potentially expensive […]

Dear Sister, The temptation of Jesus is a wellspring of wisdom, insight, and hope, but it also exposes what’s in our own hearts. As I wrote Victory in Jesus: A Lent Study Guide, I waded into the depths of my own sin and saw my propensity to give in to temptation at every corner. But […]

Her eyes open to darkness all around. She’s exhausted, already drowning in the to-dos of today. Rolling over to turn off her alarm, she continues lying there, dreading getting up. It seems like she’s been living in a constant state of overwhelm. There are never enough hours in the day, no matter how productive she […]

This article is part of our Preach the Gospel to Yourself Series. We know that phrases like “preach the gospel to yourself” are used so frequently in Christian circles that they can become Christian gobbly gook. You kind of get what it means, but don’t know how to actually do it. This series offers specific […]

[Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from Kristen’s new book Humble Moms.] The infamous woman in John 4 was unexpected: a Samaritan, and a female nonetheless. She had been in five marriages to five different husbands, all of which had dissolved, leaving wounds and insecurities and, in all likelihood, deeply-entrenched bitterness. Her shame ran deep. […]