Stories and reflections on faith and fear
Sometimes I feel guilty about my fear. As a Christian, I have heard the declarations over fear and the claims that it is a sin. I've read all of the verses in scripture that say, "Do not fear." I know that fear, like laziness or greed, is a vice. But is it opposed to faith?
Today I want to share a podcast interview that has been one of the best messages on fear I have ever heard. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me!
Doing hard things makes us stronger. The more I have been stretched, the bigger I can dream. I used to confine my dreams to my backyard, but now there is possibility. Because I know I can do anything for an hour.
I believe the danger in identifying with a mental disorder is that we can begin to embrace our thoughts as though they were not disordered--as thought they were a healthy, normal part of us that don't need to be challenged.
I just finished the third draft of my novel, and I'm finally finding room in my mind for more book ideas. I'm dreaming about gardening warriors and a girl with anxiety finding solace in a fantastical world where one's monsters can be beaten. But I'm also fighting some old fears that keep regenerating like so... Continue Reading →
Christian anticipation does more than look ahead--it looks behind at what Jesus has already done to save us, once and for all. Anything we could ever ask for has already been done, so we know our hopes will be fulfilled.
Expectations say that the day must be perfect. Any hint of anxiety is a failure that will ruin the day--and your memories of that day, and your expectations for that day next year--forever. Not eating, escaping to be alone, or missing out on any family tradition is devastating.
I have always loved nature photography. When I was struggling with depression during my senior year of college, my eyes ached from scrolling through Pinterest for pictures of mountains and butterflies and birds. I watched nature documentaries. I obsessed over pictures of snails taken by photographer Vyacheslav Mishchenko. I sat outside in the cold and... Continue Reading →
Can we change the way we perceive things by changing the language and images we use to think about them?
Every fall is like this. On the first day, I step outside, and everything is different. The air is cooler, slightly. There's a rich, nose-tingling scent of dried leaves.
