The other day I was scrolling through Facebook when a shared post from a friend caught my eye. It came from one of those "frugal" sites and boasted of a savings trick that could turn pennies into Christmas presents. Being a fool for click-bait articles, I followed the link, even though I was highly skeptical of the claims.

It's hard to believe, but this July marks twenty years of calling Wilmington, NC my home. Yes, I'm one of those Yankees who uprooted themselves after falling in love with the sweet tea and laid-back Southern charm. I love everything about living on the coast - everything except hurricane season. Being a northerner, I can handle anything snow-related, but powerful storms, not so much.

Today, let's dive into a verse that's like a cool breeze on a sweltering day—Romans 15:13. In this little gem of a passage, the apostle Paul packs a powerful punch of truth, hope, and encouragement that I believe we all need to hear, especially in the world we find ourselves navigating.

Today, I want to dive into a verse that has been a cornerstone of our faith, providing us with unshakable assurance amid life's uncertainties – a verse that beautifully reminds us of God's incredible plan for our lives. Life often throws unexpected curveballs, leaving us wondering why things aren't going as planned. In those moments of confusion and doubt, we must hold onto this promise from Romans 8:28.

Life is an incredible journey filled with desires that stir our souls. We yearn for success, happiness, love, and purpose. These desires aren't wrong—they're part of our design, woven into the very fabric of who we are. But, as we navigate life's twists and turns, we often allow these desires to take over, becoming the focus of our thoughts and energies.

Picture a young child squinting and straining to see the world around them. They may not even realize that their vision is less than clear. But then comes the day when they put on a pair of glasses. As they peer through those lenses, the once-blurry landscape sharpens into focus. Colors become more vibrant, details emerge, and the world takes on a new dimension.

In a world that often pushes us to strive harder, meet impossible standards, and carry heavy burdens, the heart of the Gospel invites us into a different kind of life—one where we're already forgiven, loved, and accepted by our Savior. Take a moment to think about that. It's like we've been given a brand-new identity in Jesus—a forgiven one wrapped up in the incredible love of our Heavenly Father.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Thanks to some retail trickery, the answer to that question is harder to answer than one would think. First, it depends on the mirror's location. We've all picked up an outfit off the rack that looked picture perfect in the store, but it didn't seem to fit right when tried on at home…

Life can get chaotic and overwhelming, and sometimes we feel like we're all alone in this big world. But guess what? There's something amazing, something beautiful, that cuts through all the chaos and welcomes every single one of us to an extraordinary gathering - it's the table of communion.

If you repeat a word enough times in quick succession, the word loses its meaning. Scientists call this phenomenon “semantic satiation.” You can experience this sensation yourself: choose a random word, and say it to yourself over and over. Oddly, the word starts to feel like it isn’t a word.

Life's journey is a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with both moments of pure delight and times of overwhelming despair. At first glance, it may seem like these experiences are opposites, but God utilizes every season, the good and the bad, to open our eyes to a more profound understanding of our faith. As followers of Christ, we are called to embrace the truth that joy and hope can thrive even in the darkest circumstances.

What is this world coming to? At one point or another, we've all grappled with this question. Sometimes we wrestle with the frustration and futility of our unsteady world due to trying circumstances that greet us at our front door or when we turn on the news or flip through our social media feed.

When we find ourselves alone, we often reach for our phones to scroll through social media or turn on the TV to fill the void. But instead, what if we took the opportunity to connect with God?

I have an odd obsession with the reality television show, Hoarders. If I'm flipping through the channels and it's on, I stop what I'm doing and tune in. Sometime during each episode, I wonder what leads this individual or couple to be consumed by clutter…

What comes to our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about us. It influences our words, thoughts, actions, emotions, and sense of identity. We all have a different viewpoint of who God is and what He should do. When we hear the word "GOD," our minds try to figure out who He is, what He's like, what He's passionate about, etc. We do this to explain the world around us, deal with our questions about life, justify our behavior, or push our agenda.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like....?" I don't know about you, but I get apprehensive anytime someone starts a conversation with a question like that…

If you were a teenager in the 90's like me, chances are good you're familiar with the Magic Eye craze. You might have even had a poster Blu-Tacked to your bedroom wall at one time. For those not in the know, these pictures create the visual illusion of a 3D scene from a two-dimensional image. If you stare at all the squiggly and blurry lines long enough, an object will visually rise to the surface…

We live in a country that worships independence and self-sufficiency. We are taught that going it alone is the ultimate sign of strength. We buy into the lie that asking for help means we are weak and deficient. We are terrified of being seen as incapable, incompetent, or lazy—so we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and attempt to live by our strength.

While certain phrases bring me joy, others I've encountered over the years do not. I'm sure you can relate and think of a few yourself. Whenever I meet words that don't resonate with me, I try to process them in a way that doesn't define my identity. Words can shape us, and we must be mindful of our internalized messages. Unfortunately, we often fail to guard our ears and allow words to affect us without considering their impact.

During my junior year of college, I had the opportunity to travel to Ireland on a cross-cultural trip. Everything about this experience was a treasure: the people were welcoming, the history was rich, and the food made my belly oh so happy…