But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:17-18

pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere

Do I operate in wisdom from above or my own rationale? Is my heart pure in my motives? Am I open to reason or only interested in expressing my side so everyone can see I’m “right”? Do I have mercy and love, joy, peace, patience etc for others in this situation? Is there sincerity and integrity between my private quiet time with the Lord match my public life and relationships?

Wisdom comes from fear of the Lord. If we truly understand the awesome power, justice, and judgement of God, we don’t need to fret comparing every thought and action against a list in a verse—it comes naturally. But let James 3:17 be a spelled-out conviction, a place to begin in understanding.

And a harvest of righteousness

All of us desire a “harvest of righteousness” in our whether we realize it or not. Imagine a home, relationships, the work of our hands filled with an abundance of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, … a harvest of spiritual fruit. Real prosperity. Yet we don’t consider what we’re sowing on an hourly basis and whether the result is a harvest of righteousness or fruit of the flesh (galatians 5).

is sown in peace by those who make peace.

What do I sow every day, in my responses/reactions, words, tone of voice, facial expressions? Actions? What am I sowing in the thoughts I dwell on? Is it rooted in wisdom from above or my selfishness?

With parenting, we faithfully sow every day in our children’s youth and trust God with a harvest of righteousness in their adult life. In relationships, we can either sow seeds of entitlement, defensiveness, vengeance, jealousy, anger… or we can remember the grace that’s been given to us. And sow peace.

But Peace doesn’t mean avoiding conflict at any cost.

Sowing peace can look like overlooking offenses but sometimes peace means standing firm and uncompromisingly in our faith, no matter the outcome. Because we can’t have true peace if we aren’t living in obedience to God. Sowing peace doesn’t grieve the spirit.

Today I faithfully sow seeds of peace and trust God with a harvest of righteousness.

the secret place is ultimately not a secret

It shows publicly when you don’t spend time in the secret with the Lord. I think we’ve all experienced that ugly truth first-hand.

The aspect we aren’t considering is that we all have a secret place. Every day. It’s just a question of who your secret place is spent with in the spiritual realm.

A secret place can be in thought, word, or deed. Is it giving into sin? Or honoring God? Whoever you yield to is who your secret place is with.

I’m not talking about perfection, but consistency. We can all be susceptible to fall out of line with the spirit even with the richest times with the Lord, even the most mature of us. But who do we show up as consistently?

Our secret place is like an invisible seed that ultimately grows roots and shows in our lives. [i wrote a series on it]

Are we repentant and seeking God? Are the fruit of the spirit present in our tone of voice, words, helping hands?

Or are we justified, entitled, and hardened in our hatred for others? Are the fruit of the flesh visible in my family relationships, friendships, and even thoughts/words about former acquaintances or strangers?

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

A secret place with evil seems pleasant, maybe even innocent, because evil is deceiving. It will feel good to live out a life entitled to our feelings “and the like” for a little while. Until you are left emptier and lower than before.

A secret place with the Lord isn’t tempting like the other one. It’s counterintuitive: it seems too hard, too impossible. Yet, it is accessible, possible, always there waiting for us. And when we do seek— it’s more satisfying than the richest feast. And is met with a love that is better than life itself.

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”

Psalm 63:1

I hope I fool you in thinking my front porch always looks like that.

Those cookies are actually made of peanut butter, almond flour, protein powder, honey, and greek yogurt dough!

“You are precious to me, and I have given you a special place of honor. I love you. That’s why I am willing to trade others, to give up whole nations, to save your life.” -God to the people of Israel, from the prophet Isaiah

Isaiah 43:4

I’ve been in Isaiah this week. Not a book I typically turn to, but really pulled to the whole “doing a new thing” chapter. I stumbled upon this verse and was so taken aback. God’s love for us. I pray I never grow hardened or “used to it” or anything that isn’t sheer awe and amazement.

I also just love Isaiah because it makes me think of the dead sea scrolls, which contained the whole book of Isaiah. Which was a stunning evidence for Jesus, the 66 chapters of this book reflects the 66 books of the Bible.

I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2

This was last week’s memory verses. Rest isn’t in our surroundings or even sleep—God alone! Spiritual rest sustains more than physical. Lack of spiritual rest drains more than physical.

i should really just have a “neuroscience” section lols.

I’ve found not everyone has a full grasp on nervous system/brain retraining. Which is fair—neither did I until this past year.

Here are some common misunderstandings or lesser known facts about christian brain retraining:

• It’s more than de-stressing. People often think this just means calming down. And sure, that’s a start. The arguably more distinctive part is healing. Transformation. But yes, you have to be relaxed and in a good feeling state in order to heal and transform.

• Brain retraining means changing your mind. To add on to my previous point, you are not “rewiring your brain” if you stay the same. If how you feel about difficult people is the same. If how you respond to stress is the same. If your triggers stay the same. You are simply calming your brain down and de-stressing over and over without rewiring it.

• Our brains are plastic. They change. This truth is especially impactful to me as a parent. We are not stuck in our damage. We have the power and privilege to facilitate healthy responses and thought patterns in our children through our own positive words and responses to them. What hope! What a good, good God. And brilliant creator.

• It’s straight up scripture. The process for actual nervous system repair can be intense and methodical but at its basic core, it’s simply what’s laid out in the Bible. That’s what’s so fascinating. It’s not cleaning your mind empty (it’s filling it with good things). It’s not just fluffy positive fake stuff (it’s filling it with good things that are also true). It’s not blaming others (it’s confession). It’s not controlling outcomes (it’s acknowledging that’s God’s job, and just controlling yourself). And that’s really only scratching the surface.

There are so many resources I lean on to keep learning. You can DM me if you want to know them 🩷

+what I’m saving, skimming, and reading on SubStack this week

• the spirit is willing, but my flesh is really weak

• my may digital garden

• The year is 2063 and you were never interesting.

• avoidance

• They don’t want you to be modest. They want you ugly.

From James 1 CSB, the headline: “Trials and Maturity”

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Be grateful for when you are tempted or triggered - this is an opportunity to rewire your brain! To create new paths! All trials are tests of faith, endurance is produced through rewiring, developing paths of obedience.

~~~Did you just lose your wallet?! Omg yay! Did someone just punch you in the face? Exciting!! Did someone just cut you off in traffic, or say something hurtful and unfair, or disobey/ignore your commands? Great joy!~~~~

4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Lacking nothing. Imagine. Going through situations and scenarios that would usually trigger/tempt/unsettle you and walking through them fearlessly, steadfast, unfazed, resilient. Imagine being a bold witness, able to serve, love, and forgive in the very circumstances that used to cause your downward spiral. It’s unthinkable and some may argue not possible on this side of heaven, but I think there is still always room for improvement, always room for spiritual growth and transformation, this side of heaven too.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting.[b] For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.

Our problem isn’t that we lack wisdom, it’s that we don’t fear God. We don’t do the very first thing that wisdom requires. We don’t fear God in our circumstances, our situation. We don’t possess the awe and respect for God’s love or the work of Jesus nor the fear of consequences and judgement of our sin. We don’t fear/awe the sheer power of God who can heal and provide, and don’t ask him to.

9 Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, 10 but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field.

“Humble circumstances” - maybe this isn’t about poverty and wealth (considering context). Maybe it’s about spiritual desperation, about those who face and suffer much temptation, triggers, trials. Addictions, mental health battles, intrusive thoughts, rage, panic attacks, obsession, grief, paralyzing fear etc — those with a deep need for brain rewiring. And the “rich” are those who have no struggles or dependence or need for God’s mercy.

11 For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.

Assuming the activities of the “rich” don’t consider the love or judgement of God - a life without wisdom.

12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Blessed is the one who forges new pathways of obedience!!!!! Who faces the trials and overcomes through rewiring the brain, dependent on God to do so. Who stood the test, not by gritting and bearing it in their own strength but submitting to God in peace and actually transforming through it!

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

God allows all trials, battles, within self and with others. God puts boundaries on Satan and allows him to do evil in our lives (see Job). Why does he allow? To transform us on earth, prepare us for eternal life, reward us at the end of the race.

14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire.

Satan is just using what we’re giving him to work with. Watch your desires.

15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

We don’t take this seriously. We do not believe the wages of sin is death. Sin is so deceiving and convincing, we believe the wages of sin is a minor hangover, or a little lie won’t really matter, or we’re just actually entitled to our judgement of others and entirely blind to our pride, we think forgiveness isn’t deserved and our grudge is allowed, we think we’re “Just being honest” when we speak negative words over others instead of life, truth, encouragement. We deceived.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

!!!!!!!

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Every win we experience, every little thing that brought joy and delight in the past 24 hours to keep our nervous systems regulated — it’s from God himself!!!! From our creator who knows our desires and wants to fill them with good and perfect things. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, the creator of our brain, the sustainer of its ability to change and transform.

I actually wrote a little about life offline already this week, over on my other Substack, Feast For Families. Go check it out!

feast for families

What We're Doing For Discipleship This Summer

Don’t waste summer…

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3 months ago · 2 likes · 1 comment · Augusta

+What I’m saving, skimming, and reading this week on Substack

• This post REALLY resonated with me this week: White Walls, Secret Threads, Seeds and Roses

• The Privilege of Witnessing Bible Prophecy Being Fulfilled

• What to Ask Before You Spend

• Why Are We All So Immature?

• delighting in obedience

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Hebrews 12 starts out focused on endurance.

Living in this text over time has sensitized me to the word “endure” and connect it to suffering, hardship, living as children of God. We endure through suffering as part of this life of following Christ.

Despite the fact that this passage also directly addresses Jesus enduring the cross, hostility from sinners, I was renewed to an Old Testament phrase I’ve heard a million times several weeks ago:

“His love endures forever”

To which I said

It occurred to me, again, renewed like morning sunshine, two things I already know:

1. How much the Lord loves us. God endured before we did. Before our trials, our suffering, our waiting, God was there, enduring suffering and waiting—the sin of the people he loves, his favorite creation. He’s endured for thousands of years. He endured the suffering and death of his son. He endures, waits, and suffers with us even still. His love endures forever.

2. There’s truly no one like our God. Yahweh, LORD, Father of the trinity— is not like the others. This God of Christianity, the father of Jesus whom we praise is distinctly different from the God of other religions. I read a book about major and minor religions, cults, new age beliefs, secularism, postmodernism etc this year and it gave me such a renewed love for how different our God is. He is the God of love and comfort, living and active. No other religion even comes close to the compassion and historical accuracy and prophecies of Christianity. Satan’s most successful work to date is this notion that Christianity is exclusive, unloving. “Who knows what religion is true! There are so many, they all could have things true, untrue, overlapping, who are we to say what is truth?!” is a common sentiment people say. This is not humility. This is willful ignorance. No other God endures for us or with us or is coming back to rescue us from our enduring.

Psalm 136 mentions mentions this phrase 26 times, but I stumbled across it flipping through Psalm 106 & 107, which are headlined “Israel’s unfaithfulness to God” and “Thanksgiving for God’s deliverance.”

Both still applicable headlines for us today.

this week on the farm: we pulled the car over to get a good look at that cow (or whatever it is???), made spring rolls for the first time, the context of “in God we trust” is fearing God not man, breakfast, carrots from the Garden, growing lettuce, SNAKE IN THE COOP, losing my voice and hot tea, dirty mirror

i forgot my lil church notes booklet so I had to sit there and listen ugh

[edit: that headline is sarcasm - of course i want to sit there and listen! just hate not having my notebook!]

It was a sermon on being in a waiting season. My takeaway was that all of us, no matter what we’re waiting on (freedom from addiction, prodigal son to return, singleness, infertility, debt, relationship repairing, struggles etc)—we’re ultiately waiting on Jesus. We’re waiting on joy, peace, love, redemption, freedom, goodness, restoration. We’re waiting on God! Whether or not our circumstances change, the outcome happens, they may or may not happen—but Jesus will return. It is a promise that instills true hope in our waiting.

Even nonbelievers in their waiting season, whether they know it or not, are actually just waiting on God.

Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

Psalm 27:14, “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”

Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.”

missed expectations & mind renewal

⁷ The person who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.

⁸ He will be like a tree planted by water:
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 CSB

He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:3 CSB

The Jeremiah verse has been my anchor this week (also known as, the 2nd week of summer).

It may sound so trivial to someone who isn’t a parent of small children—but a skipped nap or overly stretched bedtime can be absolutely crushing. Not just for the chaos that typically replaces the quiet but because mommy desperately needs that rest time!!!!!!

Missed expectations and downward spirals call for the deep spiritual work of mind renewal. While I’m in the thick of it with littles, these reminders below can help anyone.

Mind renewal for missed expectations:

• Even in the storm, drought, or heat, I am rooted in the Lord and will bear fruit.

• The Lord sustains me, not perfect schedules, circumstances, or people.

• How I respond to this trial proves my faith is genuine; my worship truly is being a living sacrifice

kind of like people who have to pay for classes to actually work out, apparently I have to pay for meal plans to actually plan meals

I said this jokingly to my husband this week but wasn’t joking. Sitting down to meal plan once a week is the death of me. And yet living day to day without a meal plan for 5 people is also the death of me.

So. I spent $30 on a 6-month meal plan with 40 rotating meals and strategically overlapping ingredients for efficient shopping and prepping. I used to buy cute clothes. This is what I spend money on now hello mid thirties.

Most notably, it’s introducing me to recipes I would never dream to make at home. Spring rolls??? Egg roll in a bowl????? And each meal has been so good! It also has tons of sourdough recipes which will help keep me accountable for keeping that starter alive.

You know the ice breaker question, “If you could ask any famous person dead or alive one question, what would it be?” Would rather ask regular nobody moms what their meal plan and laundry systems are!!!!!!!

I enjoy writing this weekly newsletter so much and though it is never convenient, it is always worth it! So thank you for being here!

+links you might like / things I’m reading

• No stress, special birthday ideas to celebrate your kids

• Low-Spend Analog Activities to Enjoy With Friends

• 7 Sabbath Tips from 15 Years of Practice

• The Commodification Of Christianity

• I once wrote about striving for that picture-perfect quiet time as a parent of littles. I hope this post frees you, if you feel sucked dry because you can’t “fill up first to pour out” — the answer might be, fill up constantly while you pour out

I imagine we all believe ourselves to be generous people.

I also imagine we paint this picture of ourselves in the most idyllic way: we initiate our generosity, we choose when, where, who, how, the gift is of our choosing, the recipient is gracious, we feel good about it when it’s happening, so full from the effect of being giving, it does not inconvenience us in anyway, it certainly does not intrude on our comfort or does not “feel” like a sacrifice in any way…

You get the idea.

But recently I was tested in my generosity. The opportunity to be generous was thrust upon me, unexpectedly. It came at a time when I was overstimulated, tired, had other plans—at one point literally captured thought, “I did not sign up for this today.” I did not choose what I was giving, when, or who. It came at what felt like a sacrifice and cost—of course of time and comfort, but also of what I was giving.

As soon as my flesh started rearing up in my thoughts, I immediately felt convicted and renewed my mind. I wish I could say I recalled lots of Bible verses on giving, but sadly that didn’t happen, I just chose to be grateful I had things to give and the opportunity to give them. Then I gave more things than what they asked for, because I happened to have surplus of it.

By the time it was all said and done, of course it felt good and right and true to be generous. But those moments of defensiveness and pride in my flesh, also felt good, right, true… I felt justified. And I had the choice to exercise my rights and I would have been entitled to—I think, if I had told you the story in grand detail, many of even you fellow christians would have supported me!

but then we’d all be deceived!

For all is God’s. We are stewards, servants.

The first step is to not shame ourselves when we don’t immediately react in obedience with a cheerful heart. Let Godly sorrow lead to repentance instead of worldly shame that leads to death. Confess, not condemn.

The second step is to just confess it to the Lord who already knows! And ask for strength, and for a changed, pure heart. A cheerful heart willing to give—even to the point of feeling the sacrifice! This is the exact moment you start to change into being more Christlike.

And third, just obey and say yes to this opportunity created by God, chosen for you.

click an image to scroll through

What you’ll see: front yard sheep, shades of green eggs, 2 baby birds, lazy cat and chicken friend, sweet scribbled note from my first baby, banana sourdough bread, my first sourdough loaf (!), a crochet project in the works, and a snap of today’s breakfast table

My church just wrapped up an incredible series called “Big Questions” which I am still thinking about.

It basically went through some of the usual doubts and big questions of Christianity. And the book I’m reading right now is in direct contradiction with my pastor on one of the points and I cannot decide where I land on the topic. Sometimes I think they actually are on the same side, but painting it differently…

We just started a series on Christophany which is really taking me back to my Bible Recap study days.

I am always edified and enriched by the story of Jesus seeing Hagar and knowing her name. The God who sees, EL ROI!

But my main takeaway from the sermon would be the pastor’s own testimony about becoming a pastor after being a divorced alcoholic. He assumed he would never be hired to speak on stage regularly, never able to officiate a wedding, due to his past—lies of which, of course, were not true and have been proven otherwise. He listed other examples. As cheesy at it sounds, God truly does take brokenness and turn it into beauty; we are never “damaged goods,” we can always be used by God to help others in ways we can’t imagine possible. There is no room in the kingdom for being crippled in shame of our life before Christ—it was, after all, our life before Christ.

Cheesy things are often true~!~

My latest obsession is Psalm 115.

I love verse 3, Our God does whatever he pleases!!! Most noted in all of creation and its beauty and wonder! The sky, the stars, how deep underwater sea creatures produce light, and a million other mysteries of nature—all because the most creative God of creation does what he pleases.

But my favorite is verses 4-7, the rundown on other Gods—they have mouths but cannot speak, ears but cannot ear, noses but cannot smell etc—all in contrast to our living God who does all.

And the real killer—verse 8: THOSE WHO MAKE THEM (WORSHIP & TRUST THEM) BECOME LIKE THEM. Deaf, blind, mute, crippled (spiritually). Meanwhile, we become more like the God we worship, able to see, hear, discern and walk in the spirit. It’s giving 2 Cor 3:18, from one degree of glory to another…

Verses 9-11, triple repetition of God is our HELP and our SHIELD—in eternal salvation and daily trials.

Verse 12, triple repetition of HE. WILL. BLESS his people! Not maybe.

Verse 13, the who/object of the blessing—> those who fear him. I feel like that could be a separate post itself.

Pairs well with this song.

Well I don’t know how I’ll top last week’s life offline section.

But on the topic of generosity…

It doesn’t always look like giving to the needy or tithing or the obvious ways of giving.

It can also look like initiating a friendship with the girl who just moved to town. I have been so blessed—I hate how cheesy that sounds but honest to God—by people in this new city where we have no family and only a few friends.

See sourdough bread pic above.

That didn’t come about because I’m a type A bread mommy!!!!!!

But because I mentioned to a new friend (from BSF shout out) that my husband bought me a kit and I’d probably never get around to using it. A longtime sourdough maker, she came over with a gift of starter, ready-to-bake dough, and taught me first-hand how to do it. Texted me instructions, links, videos.

Just went above and beyond—for no reason?! As a mom, this certainly wasn’t convenient in any way for her!

I have several stories of people doing things like this, just being generous with kindness and time and inconvenience, not to their benefit. And what moves me—is I know it’s not them, but God working through them. How kind God is, how he provides friends, good memories, sees and does the little things.

How motivating it is to be inconveniently generous to others, with whatever we have—time, money, kindness, sourdough starter—knowing it’s not our own mustered up strength but the promptings of the spirit and provision of God we are able to, given the opportunity to.

[For your interest in more generosity verses]

feast for families

I wish someone had told me this when I was a new parent

Hi moms and welcome all! I’ve had this post in drafts for weeks and excited to finally publish it. This will take about 5 mins to read. Please re-post or share with a friend if you found anything helpful…

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a year ago · 2 likes · 2 comments · Augusta

The theme of my life lately: rewiring my brain

The more time I spend on this subject, the more I’m amazed at God’s word; how the Bible stands the time of modern research on everything, specifically, neuroscience.

How God calls us to live our lives is aligned perfectly with how modern neuroscience research tells us how to have a regulated, healthy nervous system.

Words that are made new to me:

paths - Pathways in our brains, the path the neurons take, and rewiring the old paths to carve and deepen new, healthy paths, “In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths”

patterns - Our behavior/habits/responses to life around us, IE how we respond to triggers. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

reflect/reflect/meditate - What we think about regularly shapes our brain, for better or worse. “I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.”

consider - Giving careful thought to our triggers, our responses, our behavior and being intentional about honoring God in every “little” thing. “Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.”

There is so much to say and dive into on this subject and I am no expert. But if you have barely talked to me at all lately, you’ve probably heard me speak to this. So expect to see it bubble up on the stack this summer!

Would love to know if you’ve done any work on this subject since being reborn in Christ. You can comment or DM me!

Leave a comment

On theme with brain rewiring, I’m memorizing 2 Cor 3:18. We, all of us, with unvield faces—coming as we are, no masks, no pretenses, raw and real—are actively becoming more like Jesus as we pray, read, meditate, and BEHOLD his glory!!!!!! Every day, from one degree of glory to another!!!!

And we all, who with unveiled faces behold the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:18

This is printed in my kids rooms, with the goal of reading it out loud every night. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s been rewarding to meditate over time. The word, life, light. This word that heals our brains through God’s genius creation of neuroplacisity—has existed since the beginning of time.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:1-5

My goal is to make this post super short but I can’t resist sharing something my pastor said that has STUCK with me.

I don’t have the exact quote, but he basically said:

This is motivating information to me!!!!!!!

I love summers because it’s a break from my intense and structured Bible Study (which I also love too). But instead of the pressure of “studying” my focus is simply ~*~reading~*~ and absorbing and dwelling in the word during the summer. I’m reading through the books of Timothy right now. And of course always browsing through Psalms and Proverbs as I feel like.

Get in the word 4 days a week. Heal your mind. Take out the friction, remove the pressure. Read, dwell, meditate .

I tossed my phone in with the laundry last week which resulted in 5 days without a phone. Can I just say—

Amazing peace?? Wild times????? Holy habits??????? Sacred living???????????????

God was behind this. My phone addiction is real and it’s annoying to me because there’s nothing to even do on my phone. No one is texting me. No social media notifications are firing. I’m, like, reading Page Six and Chat GPTing random things. What am I even doing.

Living phone free has made me realize:

• I can and should leave my house without a phone. The car has maps if I need directions.

• I don’t need to take pictures of everything everywhere.

• My children don’t need on-demand music (yes there have been tantrums since I’ve told them radio is our norm now)

• Literally I’ve turned on KLove/Air1 radio and I’m not going back to letting my kids demand songs in the car. (I repeat, tantrums have ensued).

• There is nothing worth searching or checking on my phone after 8pm

• Pretty much everything I do on my phone can be done on my laptop. Treating my phone like a laptop (keeping it in one place on my house, using sparingly) is hard but doable.

I considered getting a dumb phone for the summer but of course caved into modern conveniences and didn’t. Ugh.

Rewiring my brain + new phone habits —> seem to go hand-in-hand this summer. We’ll see…

Pls tell me you’re addicted to your phone too. Let’s all get dumb phones and just post updates on substack and email each other idk.

Okay if you made it this far, you get a special substack-heard-it-first update (I mean, like after friends & fam)

I am ~le pregnant~ with bebe #4. It was actually a, um, how you put delicately, how you say—EXTREMELY HUGE SURPRISE. My third was a mere 7 months when we found out. hello.

So what’s another huge life change?????? New city, new baby, and now, another new baby. Why not, God!!!!!! The Lord is truly teaching me what it looks like to surrender my expectations, to depend on Jesus in my weakness and limitations. SaNcTiFiCaTiOn.

I actually scatter-brained washed my phone right after we sent out a gender-reveal video to family lol.

But in truth—

We are celebrating a new baby (I’m so excited about the gender!), a kindergarten graduation, a really wonderful first 7ish months in a new city, new house, new friends, and I have been meditating through Psalms of praise and thankfulness and feeling so full and blessed.

God is so good and his goodness is even brighter in the unexpected, even hard circumstances.

that’s all! thanks for reading!

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feast for families

Mom Musts

Happy Mother’s Day…

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4 months ago · 3 likes · Augusta

feast for families

Everything is Parenting

I’ve often heard and have been guilty of saying, “The Bible doesn’t really say anything on this,” in regards to different parenting-related topics. And while I believe in being firm where scripture is firm and flexibe where it’s flexible, I also believe…

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8 months ago · 6 likes · 1 comment · Augusta

Like almost all of my spiritual lessons, it started with a hard parenting day.

But why, God?!????????

I was frustrated with my kids’ behavior, my reactions to it, and ultimately—with God. WHY is this happening if I’m doing everything RIGHT? I’m in the word. I’m in the spirit. I’m praying ceaselessly. I’m doing everything for your glory.

And my rationale wasn’t that I earned or deserved XYZ result. I know we don’t deserve or earn. I know the gospel.

My frustration was that I was promised XYZ result.

My frustration was that as Christians, we believe prayer is powerful and works, that if we pray, God hears and responds. It’s that as Christians, we believe we have access to peace that surpasses understanding, no matter our circumstances. It’s that as Christians, we believe God is a good father who gives wisdom in abundance when we ask.

God, you said!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eventually, God impressed upon me:

You receive good things, good outcomes because of God’s grace and only because of God’s grace. Not because of anything you’ve done.

If the reason is God’s grace, then the reason cannot be your actions.

Your good actions did not result in the good outcome.

God’s grace is why you got the good outcome.

So let’s get specific.

The reason your children are well behaved and listen and obey you is not because you prayed for it and trained them up in the way they should go and lived out the gospel in front of them. It’s only, purely, solely God’s grace.

oooooo someone is not going to like hearing that! Stick with me…..

The reason your children have grown up to be responsible, well regulated teens and adults is not because of anything you’ve done. It’s only, purely, solely God’s grace.

The reason you can provide for your family is not because you have been disciplined and worked hard in your career. It’s only, purely, solely God’s grace.

The reason you have God-centered friends who love you so well is not because you’ve been a good, sacrificial, grace-filled friend to them. It’s only, purely, solely God’s grace.

The reason you are athletic and physically talented and able to accomplish challenging feats is not because you worked and trained hard for it. It’s only, purely, solely God’s grace.

Okay. So now, the obvious, natural next question.

So then, what’s the point of what I’m doing?

Why bother working so hard to follow Jesus’ commands if it has nothing to do with the God-centered outcome I desire?

How is it possible following God’s commands had nothing to do with the result of God’s good Christ-honoring outcomes?

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?

Romans 6:1

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!

Romans 6:15

Romans 6:1, 15 are essentially saying “what’s the point!!!! should I just continue in sin because it’s all your grace no matter what I do?!”

Paul says: Absolutely not! Certainly not!

Here’s why we walk in obedience, or “newness of life” as Paul says in 6:4.

• Because God told you to. He gave you commands to follow.

• Because it is our privilege and responsibility to follow his commands and our callings that we have been entrusted with.

• Because following his word is for our good.

• Because your obedience results in your sanctification, your holiness.

• Because you mature in Christ and your faith is developed as you walk in obedience.

• Because your sanctification and maturity in Christ is deeply important to God.

• Because your all your deeds good and bad will be judged one day.

• Because your works don’t result in salvation, but do result in eternal rewards.

• Because not following his commands, is sin. And the wages of sin is death.

I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

Romans 6:19

But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:22-23

Your eternal salvation was a free gift. And salvation from your daily trials of various kinds are also free gifts.

So don’t be surprised when “you do everything right” and are met with unexpected outcomes. God is faithful to his promises. He may just be reminding you of the reason he fulfills his promises.

It’s all God’s grace.

The crazy part is I had been spending time in Romans 6 for months leading up to the experience that resulted in this post. Literally camped out chilling, praying and journaling through Romans 6 for months!!!!!

But it took me weeks after this experience and revelation to connect it to Romans 6; to realize that my frustration with God was literally Romans 1:1 & 1:15.

I didn’t know I needed a lesson about grace.

I didn’t know Romans 6 was a chapter about grace. I wanted to learn about dying to old self and living new in the chapter that’s headlined, “The New Life In Christ.”

But of course, you cannot move on to walking in newness of life until you fully grasp how you got there. You cannot fully live new until you completely understand—know deeply in your soul—that it’s only because of God’s grace.

And his grace is his son.

Being made new isn’t the point, the point is Jesus.

God had me live out Romans 6 in a real and tangible way after studying it deeply. I can only assume the reason is so I could learn it better and so you could read it.

God is crazy.

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BSF came into my life at God’s perfect timing.

My sister had asked me to go for years—literally years—before I finally joined after having my second baby and quitting my full time job.

But it was exactly when God wanted me to start.

Because it was during that postpartum, vulnerable season that Satan started to go wild in my head; that God allowed Satan to plant, water, and grow lies in my head.

It started with questioning the word of God (“did God really say…” - Satan). Then evolved into questioning my church, fellow christians, Christianity altogether. Which turned into giving ear to more new age or universal thinking.

Tiny thoughts building and tiny steps made over a period of months in 2022 really began to unravel my faith. I can dive more into those doubts separately, but the point is this: God’s timing truly is always perfect. And it’s always centered around our salvation or sanctification, not our goals or expectations.

God’s timing was perfect because the “soil of my heart” was in a place of desperation, confusion, seeking truth—not just comfortable acceptance of a religion I had known since childhood. I do not believe I would have had as transformative of a Bible Study experience if I had started sooner.

That’s why it’s possible for people to hear gospel-filled sermons or study the Bible and leave completely unfazed, un-untransformed, untouched—because their heart is hard. This is true of both Christians and non. If a heart isn’t seeking, a heart won’t find.

Nothing is wrong with the seed, something is wrong with the soil.

I digress.

Despite my doubts, I was signed up for not one but TWO Bible studies that fall. Because hey. Free childcare for a postpartum mom is everything, lol. I’ve previously written about my story here, here, here, and here. Oh and here!

Three and a half years later, I’m still in BSF and have been completely transformed in my faith—not solely because of BSF, but I cannot deny how God has used BSF and all the people involved in it in such a powerful way in my story.

Shockingly, though I was raised in a church and a christian my whole life, this was my first real in-person Bible Study. I’ve found local Bible Study to be so critical to my understanding of God and relationship with Jesus, I wish for everyone to know and experience and encounter Jesus as I have through studying his word.

Which brings me to…

What is BSF

• A christian weekly Bible Study. It’s an “international, interdenominational, and free in-depth Bible study program for all ages, offering 30-week, verse-by-verse, and chapter-by-chapter courses.”

• It starts in the fall and finishes up in the spring, like a school year.

• BSF meets locally all over the world in “host” churches so you can look up the nearest BSF to you.

• There are separate meet ups for men and women, youth and pre-school ages. And everyone studies everything at the same time! Even the babies, age-appropriate of course.

Why I love BSF

• I love that it’s expository (meaning it chooses one or more books to go through verse by verse, looking at its author, audience, context, interpreting the author’s original intent and how it applies today) instead of topical. I wish I had started studying the Bible like this years ago.

• I love that it has a 4-part method that helps you get fully immersed in the passage you’re studying. It is DEEP and RICH. Below:

The 4-part method:

1. Assigned Bible reading (sometimes as little as a few verses or up to several chapters) + Daily questions to do on your own time

2. Reviewing questions with the small group

3. Listening to the lecture with the whole group

4. Reading 15-20 pages (or doing the audio) related to the week’s passage

• I love the people and friendships I’ve made at BSF over the years

• I love the story of how BSF started. See video. It began by Audrey Wetherell Johnson, a female missionary in the 50s!

• I love the Children’ program— I make my preschoolers school schedule fit BSF mornings. The kids go over the weekly passage right alongside the moms, in an appropriate format. I’ve served in this program and the work, prayer, and intentionality behind the scenes is something every parent would want their child to be apart of. I was a CP leader for 2 years and I ADORED the children’s lessons, they fed my soul! When you reach the point in your faith when you understand children’s main truths are good for “mature” adults, it’s a sign your faith has transformed. Which brings me too..

• PINK SHEETS!!!! Not every location does this, it’s kind of the “old school” ways of BSF, but many Children’s Programs still pass out weekly Pink Sheets which help moms know how to teach and talk about God to littles. PS-they’re all able to download on your BSF online account!

• I love there’s AN APP for this Bible study so if it’s a crazy week, you can do it all on your phone. And I have been there many times.

• I love that it’s GLOBAL so I can tell everyone I know no matter where they live to find a location near them and join.

• Every week BSF expands on a doctrine related to the lesson. You will learn so much from these weekly inserts (see pic). Studying doctrines is so profound and not to go on a total tangent here, but after studying other religions a little bit, I have an even bigger appreciation for the fact that following Jesus means following DOCTRINES OF TRUTH. A firm foundation. This is not the case in religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, or New Age, where there is no foundational or central standing, but subjective to each person.

How I keep up with it every week

I won’t lie— it’s A LOT. It’s known for being more intense than your usual Bible Study, due to the additional ~20 pages of reading—the “notes”—every week. But that reading is so rich and helps you deeply understand what you’ve read.

Now. It’s recommended to do the reading before moving on to the next week’s questions. And if you can manage that, then yay! But for me, I have found that if I wait until I finish reading or listening to the week’s notes, I don’t start the next week’s Bible reading or questions until just a couple days before the weekly group, forced to cram it.

How I keep up with BSF weekly readings, questions, and notes:

1. The day after your weekly meet up group, start “day one” of the new week’s reading and questions—whether you’ve finished the previous week’s notes or not!

2. Then assign the daily questions according to the following days of the week. So if your group is on Wednesday, you’ll mark “Thursday” next to Day 1’s questions, and “Friday” next to Day 2 and so on. (Pic below)

3. Then stick to that plan!!!!!! And just listen to or read the notes as you can throughout the week.

TIP:

I use my big Bible for the week’s reading but I keep my phone out and use the app to look up the reference verses, which are provided. Make life easy on yourself. No one wins a prize for flipping around and looking up everything straight out of the book, lol.

The daily reading and questions actually do not take that long, maybe 15 minutes tops. It’s totally doable to maintain a daily pace with these. It’s not only motivating to get done every day, but it is so much more spiritually nourishing to spread the reading over the week rather than cram in 1-2 days.

Well that’s everything!!

This is not a paid post obviously lol I’m just passionate about it!

Find a group near you: https://join.bsfinternational.org/

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This is an audio post and I’m calling it a “voice memo” —something I text people regularly!!!

In this audio post:

• How it’s so much more comfortable to condemn—which takes no humility, patience, or hard word—rather than confess to self, God, others

• How constant confession and repentance is not only the message for salvation but sanctification

“O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭62‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭66‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Reflecting on the birth of Jesus

The almighty son of God came as a human to teach humans to be sons of God

The everlasting father born a baby to show us he truly is humble and gentle; the burden really is light

The wonderful counselor became a carpenter to show us our jobs have more eternal purpose than we can even imagine

The prince of peace offended many and showed righteous anger but brought everlasting unity through it

Jesus died for the sins of all

But before he died, he was born

Before he rose and ascended, he lived

Before he died for our sins, he was born and lived to show us how to live

Live like him

He came to not only show us how to live

But how to be fully alive

Fully hopeful. Fully peaceful. Fully joyful. Fully fulfilled.

And I don’t think it’s unfair to say: Easter is for everyone, Christ died for the sins of all

but Christmas—the birth of Jesus—is for Christ followers; for sons and daughters

not “believers” for even the demons believe Jesus is Lord of Lords

But the birth and life of Jesus is for those who have tasted and seen—whose hearts are soft, minds are renewed, and lives are changed

Jesus’ birth is for those who are reborn

Jesus’ life is for those who seek life in him

Who take literally that the word became flesh

Who are wise not because they seek knowledge but because they fear the Lord

Who have lost so much—friends, family, jobs, opportunities, money, popularity—yet have everything; a people of sorrow but have joy

Who walk among the earth with heaven dwelling within them

Who live in the upside down kingdom; where to be last is first, the humbled are exalted, and denying oneself is receiving everything

Christmas is for you, follower of Christ

And even if you are not a follower of Christ in this moment, you are one step away from being adopted into sonship; you are one step away from the path of life

A life of faith—not aimless guessing, but spiritual realities—the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen

Close your eyes and breathe in all the gifts, benefits, rewards, and fruit of walking in the spirit

Close your eyes and breathe out for there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Let the good smells of Christmas time remind you that your life is a pleasing aroma to God, simply for being a son or daughter

Let the good music of Christmas time remind you that the Lord sings songs of joy over you

Satan prowls around, looking for vulnerable children of God; for their moments and memories he can steal, kill, and destroy

“Not today Satan” has become a commodified, consumeristic phrase on a shirt—no doubt his own deceitful scheme—so that we might forget it’s one of the most powerful spiritual weapons given to us by God himself

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23 NKJV

Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” Matthew 4:10 NKJV

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NKJV

You are empowered with every spiritual power given to you by the creator of the world, sons and daughters

Take back your power and inheritance this week; for God’s is the kingdom, power, and glory and you are his child

Walk in your adoption to sonship as you remember the birth of your savior; eat, drink, and enjoy the fruits of your labor for it is a gift from God

2 Corinthians 6 is certainly not a passage you’ll hear in a Christmas service, but it has ministered to and encouraged me greatly in this season. The subhead of this passage is “the character of Paul’s ministry” and it perfectly describes the people who care about the birth and life of Jesus, who follow him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

As God’s partners,^[a] we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. ² For God says,

“At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you.”^[b]

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

³ We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. ⁴ In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. ⁵ We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. ⁶ We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us,^[c] and by our sincere love. ⁷ We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. ⁸ We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. ⁹ We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. ¹⁰ Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

“I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.^[e]

2 Corinthians 6:1-13, 16b

Cheers and Merry Christmas to those who accepted the marvelous gift and did not ignore it.

Thank you for subscribing to feast this year!!!!

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It doesn’t matter what you do

“Work” only gets you money, promotions, status, power, success

Work is what matters

Work is invisible but obvious

Work is eternal, wondrous, divine, supernatural

God’s work is our work, we are his workers

You do God’s work no matter where you “work”

You do God’s work no matter what you do

From the top neurosurgeon in the country to the every day local barista, God’s work is not partial to brains

From the top world athlete to the unknown paraplegic, God’s work is not partial to physical ability

Your benefits may start now but full payment comes at the end

Your may taste fruit now but full harvest comes at the feast with the ancient of days

Your “work” doesn’t matter at all

Even your work, tho important, is only God’s grace

Remember: It is by grace you have been saved through

faith

And it is not your

own doing, it is a

gift

from God not a result of

works

So that no one can boast. For we are his

workmanship

created in Christ Jesus for good

works

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

[the heart of this poem is to free people over-stressed about work, to point you back to what matters; not to invalidate your accomplishments in helping others]

Before we get into it, I need you to know that I still wrestle with conviction and music as I grow in my relationship with Jesus.

While I did twitch a little at “welcome to my underworld” and “hand me the keys to this city” and various other Tay lyrics in the new album and others—this is not a “TAYLOR IS A WITCH” post lol. This is not a “UR GOIN 2 HELL for pressing play on pop” post.

As I publish this, my feed is flooded with genuine believers posting warnings about demonic music. I do see what you see, brothers and sisters and fam in christ. Who knows where conviction will lead me in one year or five years. I certainly never thought conviction would lead me this far, where I’m at today.

So I know some of yall are not going to get this.

This post just isn’t for you.

This post is for everyone who 1) loves music and 2) has never experienced the transformative work of Jesus.

This post is simply an honest story of how my taste in music has transformed as I’ve come to know God more.

Here’s my true story.

• I used to do this thing in high school where I’d write rap lyrics on my hand and it was the rap lyric of the day.

• My 8th grade PE teacher took my printed Missy Elliot lyrics away from me.

• I’ve seen everyone in concert. Miley, Vegas Britney, Beyonce (3X), Tay (3+ times idk lost count, Dallas eras night #i can’t remember), Kanye, Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Blink182, and I’m positive there are more mainstream artists I’m just not even remembering. Certainly more I WANTED to pay to see. Mostly can’t believe I never made it to drake or Kendrick.

• Every year, I create a playlist with the title of the year. I used to really delight in adding favorite music of that year whether new or old songs. (Sweater weather has been on every playlist like 6 yrs in a row bc it’s new every time). I made a folder on Spotify to hold all these playlists, it’s called YEARBOOK. This year, 2025, there are currently 11 mainstream songs, 2 of those I added this morning (from TLOAS. TLOASG? lol?). The 2017 playlist has over 11 hours of music. Here’s why: I’m only adding and listening to my “worship vibes” playlist, which has 15 hrs 15 mins. (Im loving the numerology happening?! 11 songs, 11 hours, 15 hr 15m…. We need to find corresponding verses fam. Taylor swift numerology has nothing on God’s written word).

Here’s my point: I love music. Always have.

Rap. Acoustic. Rock. Emo. Screamo. Pop. Country. Pop-country. Instrumental. Folk. (That basically covers all of tay’s albums lol). Classic rock. Hard rock. Soft rock. Name a type of rock, I swear I like it. Latino. Don’t get me started on Bad Bunny at the superbowl. Catch me shaking it at half time.

I really, truly do have a heart for music of all genres.

~The life of a showgirl~!~!~!

Here’s my true testimony.

Jesus is better.

Worship music is better.

When a musically enthusiastic person discovers more genres, it’s game on.

When a spiritually sold-out-for-Jesus music enthusiast discovers worship, it’s game over.

I don’t even want to listen to mainstream when I finally get the chance to play my own music (ahem, 3 children dominate Bluetooth). I want to listen to my favorite worship music. I want to sing praises to God.

When Beyonce dropped Cowboy Carter on Easter weekend 2023, my heart was too wrapped up in my BSF John Bible study to bring myself to dare delight in Beyoncé’s bangers. I was on my face worshipping my savior (and by on my face I mean scream singing in my car).

And when I told my BSF family that Beyonce dropped a new album the week prior and I still hadn’t listened, I urged them— no you don’t understand!!!!! This is not like me!!!! This is shocking, piercing, offensive news!!!! I was too busy worshipping in my car to play CC.

This is offensive to true fans of Beyonce, the bey hive. But don’t you see!!! Replacing Beyonce with my savior, the giver of honey, offended my spirit.

Even now I haven’t listened to that album in full.

Taste and see that the lord is good!!!! God sings OVER US!

The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17 NIV

Y’all im just out here telling you my story!!!!! It is true and trustworthy. This music transformation is not me muscling my way through trying to be a good christian girlie, it’s truly a change of my heart’s desires.

Jesus changes hearts. Jesus changes preferences. Jesus changes minds. Jesus changes thoughts. Jesus changes futures.

I used to be kind of embarrassed about this music testimony. I used to think it was silly and stupid to even bring up that my taste in music changed when I grew closer to Jesus.

But it’s not dumb at all. Music matters! Music is significant and music is a huge part of the Bible and a Christian life. Music is spiritual.

And when I switch from worship music to mainstream hits, something is off in my spirit. My brain has forever connected music and singing to worshipping God and it can’t go back. After singing love songs to Jesus, it feels weird to sing love songs meant to be about a boy. After praising what God has done and is doing, it feels weird to sing about what someone else has done or is doing. It feels like worshipping singer or the subject instead of my God.

I know I will never to go back to loving mainstream music like I once did.

I may still listen to it, but my heart loves worship more.

Worship is warfare. Worship is transformative. When you praise God in despair, confusion, and crisis, you leave confident, hopeful. Praise always comes before the miracle. God is in the room when you worship.

But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Psalm 22:3 NKJV

~The life of a Jesus girl~

It’s actually my husband’s birthday today and I will now go sing Wi$h Li$t to him.

This post takes 7 minutes to read but it goes by fast, I promise.

God answered one of my prayers recently, but I almost missed it.

Albeit, this was a very low-urgency prayer. Not a crisis or life-and-death situation. But I prayed it for weeks and it was genuine from the heart.

I wanted a new Bible. I had been praying about and researching various translations, formats, and styles.

After weeks of research and prayer, I stumbled on a YouTube video of a Christian mom’s Bible tabbing system (link below).

*loved it*

*wanted to immediately start*

Then I felt a twinge of what I now realize is pride… but what it felt like in the moment was “weirdness.”

It feels weird to copy this stranger’s exact routine.
It feels weird to buy her Bible and highlight the verses she reads with her notes.

Then I immediately felt the need to rationalize how my routine would be different, better, more suited for me. But of course couldn’t think of how I could make it different or better.

In this mind rabbit hole, I almost decided to scrap it altogether just because it wasn’t my own idea.

Here’s what the Holy Spirit laid on me:

➡️Everything is from God. You’re giving this person too much credit, instead of giving God credit. It’s keeping you from growing spiritually.

It was God who gave this woman the idea for how to be enriched by God’s word.

It was God who answered my prayer by serving me this video on YouTube at that precise time.

I’m reminded of Paul in Thessalonians, he thanked GOD for the works of the people. He did not thank them.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’m reminded of the verses that ascribe things in this world from, for, through, and back TO God:

James 1:17, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Revelation 4:11, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created, and have their being.”

Romans 11:36, For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Pride happens when we mix up the God-given order of:

1. God

2. Others

3. Self

We can so easily put others before God. And putting people before God doesn’t just mean “idolizing” them or feeling inferior to them.

Putting people before God also happens when we look down on them, feeling superior to them.

Feeling inferior to people puts OTHERS before GOD

• WHO: We may feel inferior to uber-spiritual fellow church members, pastors, mentors, elders, leaders at church, authors, people with tons of IG followers…

• WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

  • We may rely too heavily on our Sunday morning sermons to learn and challenge our faith instead of seeking to know God on our own in the secret place.

  • We may call a trusted spiritual person for advice or prayer before taking it to God first

  • We may react too harsh, too quick when our spiritual idol slips up or fails miserably like all humans do

  • We may read devos and Christian books more than the Bible

Feeling superior to people STILL puts OTHERS before GOD

• WHO: We may feel superior to podcasters, influencers, younger Christians, maybe even pastors (from OTHER churches of course lol🤣)

• WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:

  • Judging what they have to say before hearing or reading it—just based on their age, looks, clothes, IG, or their past

  • Referring to people as “baby christian”

  • Thoughts like, “I already know that XYZ Bible story/passage/verse” ... “This is a message for someone else, not me”

  • Thinking a helpful/needed ministry or program is “for everyone else”

  • Thinking I can figure it out myself, do it myself, don’t need other people to help (as was my case)

When I pridefully almost turned away *a literal answered prayer*, I was unwittingly putting this woman before my spiritual growth—before God. Even though I was turning away her system, I was giving her way too much credit for it. It wasn’t her “system!” It was God’s way of reading scripture—first given to her, then to me!

I often think of the humility it must have taken early Christians to listen to Paul’s preaching. HE ACTUALLY MURDERED CHRISTIANS then was preaching to them?!?! I kill u now i teach u??? Writing them letters on how to live! Just like think through this for a minute and imagine how outrageous that is. If people had any chance at growing their faith, they had to get over his past ~real quick~. No room for a shred of superiority. Where would we be without Paul’s letters!

Any time we walk in the path of superiority or inferiority to other people, we are putting them before God and hindering our maturity in Christ.

So, how do we stay away from feeling inferior or superior to close friends, family, or strangers?

There are 59 “one another” Bible verses in the New Testament instructing Christians how to relate to each other.

Christians are called to relate to “one another” in these 5 main ways:

1. Love one another (most frequent “love one another” command)

2. Be at peace/same mind

3. Serve in humility

4. Encourage & edify

5. Spiritually care for: pray, forgive, bear burdens, confess

[Get a complete list of the 59 verses here, thank you chatGPT]

Final thoughts: God grows His people through His people

All credit to God’s grace, power, and the Holy Spirit for any spiritual maturity or growth in my life.

The thing is though, our relational God often works through PEOPLE to administer his grace, power, Spirit.

I would not be where I am today spiritually without the PEOPLE he’s placed in my life, whether in person church or Bible study or online/on paper via podcasts and books.

God answers prayers through people.
God offers guidance and advice through people.
God provides clothes, food, shelter through people.
God performs miracles through people (miraculous healings still happen!)

God reveals His glory to His people by His people. And not “perfectly spiritually mature, well-rounded, established, knowledgeable, sinless” people, but repentant, broken, humble people who are fully dependent on God.

I think we forget God is not a magician. He could have stopped sin and Satan *poof* with the snap of his fingers after the fall, but instead, He sent his Son in human form to establish relationships with us on earth, out of love, to the point of death, to defeat sin, death, Satan.

Satan is the architect behind our superiority or inferiority towards others. He knows both rob of us the relationships that contribute to the abundant life of God’s design.

So ask yourself today:

• How am I hindering my own spiritual growth in how I relate to others? Do I portray “inferior behavior” and rely too much on someone instead of God? Or do I portray “superior behavior” and quickly refuse before humbling myself?

As always with my “What God is Teaching Me” posts…

👁️💗I hope you feel seen and loved—relationships are so hard, almost no one on earth is getting them 100% right. But God calls us humble ourselves to live them out rightly because it’s for our GOOD and His GLORY.

🆕📖I hope you feel renewed to the word—God wants to use YOUR obedience to answer a prayer, perform a miracle, or reveal His glory in someone’s life.

By the way, here is the Bible routine I’ve been talking about! It’s awesome specifically for SAHMs. And yes, I’ve printed out all her verses+notes to use myself💁‍♀️

👩‍🍼Are you a mom of littles 0-6?

Don’t miss out on my summer preschool Bible Study on the fruit of the spirit! See latest below.

feast for families

Week 4: PATIENCE | Summer of Fruit Bible Study

Thanks for joining week 4 of the Summer of Fruit Bible Study…

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a year ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Augusta

If we’re honest, there is a category of sin that we just think isn’t a big deal. “Everyone does it.” SmAlL SiN~*~*

Gossip, drinking too much, silent judgement, light cussing, listening/watching violent/vulgar content, little lies, unforgiveness, bitterness, malice, jealousy, envy.

We righteously refuse all the “big sin,” we boycott brands—but we tolerate pride in our own hearts.

Our fave lil “pet sins” may vary. These are the sins we know are wrong but we don’t *actually* want to give them up. We continue to do them willfully. We like them. Lil pets. Like Paris Hilton and her Chihuahuas.

Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:13-14

But darn it if the Holy Spirit didn’t impress upon my heart regarding one of my ongoing sins. Darn it if this thought didn’t actually begin to change my mind and make me NOT want to hold this sin like a pet.

In Romans 7:15-25, Paul—a very mature Christian by all standards—confessed his own sin struggles. Note the key word: struggle. He was at war with himself. For he does not do the good he wants to do, but the evil he does not want to do—this he keeps on doing. “What a wretched man I am!”

So much of a Christian’s journey of sanctification is transforming to that level of maturity; to actually *not wanting* to do even the “small” sins.

Thank God for conviction! Thank God for consequences and guidance from the spirit that does the impossible: changes our hearts.

Ironically, I felt this spirit conviction while washing my hands at church on Sunday. I always love it when the physical world represents the spiritual world in life and scripture, so it’s fitting that I was washing my hands while the Holy Spirit spoke to me on purity/confession.

So here’s what God is teaching me:

➡️ It is the repeated, willfull, unrepentant sin that leads to hardness of heart. And hardened hearts cannot see, hear, experience me.

So let’s break that down.

—> Doing what feels good instead of honors God and others hardens our hearts.
—> Acknowledging its offensiveness to a Holy God and a savior who died for it softens our hearts.

And it is only the pure in heart who will see, hear, experience God.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8

Just like Paul in Romans 7:23, "For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.” I deeply and desperately seek the supernatural benefits of a relationship with Jesus.

Holy Spirit guidance in daily relationships, specifically parenting.
Illumination and revelation in scripture.
Answers in prayer life.

Small sins deceive us. All sin hardens hearts and separates us from God1.

Practical steps towards heart purity

• Regularly read related scripture

  • Tape scripture that speaks to the situation to your fridge, right where you fill up your water.

  • Set reminders on your phone. I had a daily alarm ring at 12:14p with Romans 12:14-21.

  • Use flash cards. Stick them in your purse, car. Read them throughout the day.

• Pray differently

  • Don’t nag the person about their behavior. Don’t gossip or vent to others. Take specific prayers and petitions to the only God who can transform hearts.

• Share specifically

  • Share the specifics with CG, what verses are encouraging you through it, and how they can hold you accountable. And pray over it!

• Worship

  • Fill your mind and heart with worship music. Always.

I hope you feel seen but loved—we ALL have sins within us that we tolerate.
But I hope you also feel renewed to truth: the pure-hearted will experience God.

Thank you for reading!

I desperately need people to agree with me.

In my lukewarm Christian years, a big habit for me was texting friends when someone else “wronged” me in any big or small way. I needed other people to validate my annoyance, irritation; the other person’s stupidity or insensitivity. It looked like constantly texting throughout the day. Getting in my head. Being more present in my mental world than the physical world around me (ahh, the unseen spirit world consuming our thoughts).

By the sheer grace of God (truly more God than any of my own strength or discipline) this routine rarely happens anymore.

But my fleshly desire for human validation/approval still exists.

Ironically, the scene in my head and the world I create when I seek human validation plays out like a courtroom.

I’m the prosector. My “enemy” is on the defense stand. I’m pacing around the courtroom, proclaiming my case, trying to convince the jury why the defense is wrong.

It’s ironic because scripture paints the same picture1. Except Satan is the persecutor, our accuser. We are on the witness stand. Jesus is our defense lawyer, our advocate. God is the judge.

How humbling—and downright awful—to think we take on the agenda of Satan when we accuse others. How prideful to think we could replace God on the judgement seat.

We don’t need to defend ourselves. We don’t need to “justify” ourselves. We are fully justified from sins in Jesus. We trust God to handle all evil done to us (romans 12).

Yet living that truth out in a genuine way, with a pure heart, takes true, spiritual transformation that results in behavior change. Thought pattern change. It takes the word of God and prayer.

I have found Psalm 139 to be the perfect medicine for the treatment of seeking human validation. A helpful cure for needing an entire jury to agree with you.

Psalm 139 Overview

• 139:1-6, God fully knows and understands you and also the situation at hand.

  • 139:1, No matter how I paint myself in the story for the jury, God has (past tense) examined and known my maturity or immaturity in the situation. If I acted righteously, God already knows. If I acted selfishly, God already knows. Only his opinion of my ways matter, I don’t need validation from others.

  • 139:2, He understands thoughts from “afar off.” We don’t even need to be in a “close relationship” with God or “feel near” him for him to not only know but understand our thoughts.

  • 139:3, I love in NKJV, he COMPREHENDS our all our ways and paths. I feel like I can over-explain a situation to death, hashing through every little detail, and still be the only one to “comprehend” to my liking.

  • 139:4, God knows what I’m going to say before I even say it! My words not only to Him, but to others. This verse reminds me I need only be still, how futile over-explaining and defending myself is.

• 139:7-12, God was there when it happened. He is always with you.

  • 139:12, Even in our darkest times, darkness and light are the same to God, there’s nowhere we can be without him there with us.

• 139:13-16, God created you. He understands more fully than anyone else.

  • Going back in time to our very start, God was there. Going forward in time to our last day on earth, God already has it numbered. He sees our experiences and trials in the context of our start and end on earth.

• 139:17-18, God considers, contemplates, and processes the dynamics of the conflict more than you do.

  • God’s thoughts about us are so vast, they outnumber even our own thoughts about ourselves. Not only that, they are precious thoughts. Trust me—God has THROUGH THRU the situation at hand in full. His thoughts for the intricate details of our lives cannot be numbered.

• 139:19-24, Humbling myself, confidence in God

  • 139:19-22, God brings justice to the wicked but I must humble myself to realize I may have wicked in me too—search me, O God, and know my heart! See if there is any wicked way in me!

  • 139:23-24, The humbling part of any earthly relationship is there’s always two sides and it’s not always an easy clean right/wrong, but a mix of rights, wrongs, motives, intentions. Only God sees hearts, only God can judge. All we can do is ask God to search us, reveal to us what’s wicked in us, and trust him to be the just judge. Something “karma” only wishes it could be.

Psalm 139 Takeaways

1. God is the only one who understands.

2. God is the only one whose opinion (validation!) matters.

3. God is the only one who can not only justly judge but heal and restore.

This is not a post about removing wise third-party counsel from your relationships that need help. Please seek and allow Godly counsel from God’s people to speak into your blind spots and relationships.

This is a post about the need for human validation for every big and small injustice done to us and the truth that we already have validation from God. And what he doesn’t approve of, he will reveal to us, as we ask him to search us, know us, test us, lead us.

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.

Psalm 139:23-24 CSB

ICYMI…

We’re in week 2 of my preschool Bible Study! This week, we’re teaching our kids to read the Bible every day, focusing on Psalm 16:11—God’s word brings us JOY!

feast for families

Week 2: JOY | Summer of Fruit Bible Study

I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything…

Read more

a year ago · Augusta

WEEK FOUR: 2 THESS 2-3

It’s the last week of the Thessalonians Bible Study!

➡️See all Thessalonians Bible Study posts here.

No audio or video from me this week and in general I’m just keep things shorter with only an outline and takeaways (no application, reflection, prayer).

But I am having a guest speaker— Tim Keller.

Tehe! I encourage everyone to listen this video on “the lawless one” from 2 Thessalonians. It’s 41 mins, totally worth your time, and expands on the title of this post.

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

2 Thessalonians 2:7

OUTLINE

2 Thess 2:

1. The doctrine: the lawless one (v 1-12)

2. The application: we were chosen and called—so stand firm! (v 13-17)

2 Thess 3:

1. Paul’s prayer requests: successful spread of the gospel, protection (v 1-5)

2. Paul addresses laziness among believers (v 6-15)

3. Paul prays peace over them (v16-19)

MAIN TAKEAWAYS

1. There’s nothing new under the sun, not even fake news (2:2-3, 3:17).

2. Stand firm and hold fast to the teachings (2:15). My application here is to never let my political or cultural beliefs overshadow my ability to love people who believe differently. Stand firm and Hold fast to the teachings (the Bible) more than my stances. We love nonbelievers by giving them money, food, clothing, shelter, when needed. We also love them by not affirming their sin, but showing them our God. We love believers by helping them come to righteous repentance. Just as Paul instructed in chapter 3 in his warning against idleness, busybodies, laziness among believers.

3. Never grow wearing of doing good (3:13). I love that smack in the middle of Paul’s instruction for how to deal with lazy Christians, he’s like, Hey! Never get tired of doing good! Because ultimately it is truly good to help bring fellow believers to repentance, correct them, help them see their blind spots, be a part of their sanctification. And it can certainly be wearisome. This verse also continues to renew “eternal rewards” for me—as everything we do and suffer in the name of the kingdom on earth has eternity attached to it. How we love God is how we love people on earth.

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:40

RESOURCES

Why would a loving God send people to hell?
So you’re saying Hitler could get the same treatment as Mother Teresa?
➡️If these are questions you or someone you know can’t understand, PLS watch this video which mentions Thessalonians multiple times. It’s also a great listen for anyone who wants a better understanding of what the Bible has to say on rapture/trib.

📋Before you go! Take my survey?

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📢Calling all moms of littles 0-6…

I wrote a preschool Bible Study and I’m so excited to walk through the fruit of the spirit with my 3 and 5 yr olds this summer. I’ve already told them a few of the stories and have been using the “scripts” —and YES, I have already seen a difference in their awareness of goodness and patience in how we talk about their sibling conflict!

I really hope you check it out and do it with me! Learn more below.

LAUNCHING NEXT WEEK!!!

feast for families

Launching in June: Summer 2025 Bible study on the Fruit of the Spirit for littles 0-6

I’m SO excited to share something I have been working on for a while now: a summer Bible Study for littles 0-6…

Read more

a year ago · 1 like · 3 comments · Augusta

Feast For Families

It’s already week 3, so that means just one more week. We’re almost done! I hope two chapters a week has felt doable but also rich.

Just an audio this week. And of course, there’s much included in the audio that’s not in the post. The post takes about ~8 mins to read and the audio is 30 mins. Enjoy!

See all Thessalonians Bible Study posts here.

This random Galatians verse inspired the title of this post.

My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love.

Galatians 5:13-14

Loving God+others is the goal of holiness. Self denial is not the goal of holiness.

With all this studying on holy living, I wanted to share 2 things I came across this week: this verse above and quote below. Both are reminders that self denial in the pursuit of holiness is not the end goal. Holiness in the pursuit of loving God & others is the end goal.

I love how the Galatians verse says the opposite of freedom isn’t self denial, but loving others. WISDOM.

Okay let’s get into it!!!

1 Thessalonians 5 - 2 Thessalonians 1

SUMMARY

1 THESS 5 - 2 THESS 1

End times are coming. Suffering is already here. But there is hope, Christian! We will one day live with Christ (5:10). Since we have hope, we are to comfort and edify each other with this hope. Since we have hope, we are to live different; how to live is staccato-summarized in 5:12-19. Don’t become discouraged in your pursuit of holiness for *God himself will* make make you completely holy—from body to spirit to soul—at Jesus’ second coming (5:23).

WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME

1. 5:12-15, Be grateful to people who rebuke you. And warn others too!

2. 5:16-18, These are not suggestions for living the best life, but commands for all believers

3. 5:19, Do not quench the spirit!!!! Meaning, go where the spirit leads you, don’t ignore it. I love the complimentary in Ephesians 4:30 do not grieve the spirit. It’s kind of the opposite—don’t do something the spirit begs you not.

4. 5:23-24, You know I love a body, soul, spirit drop!!!!! (also speaking of which, see the resource recos below)

5. 1:3, Paul thanked God that 1) the Thessalonians faith was growing and 2) and their love for one another is increasing.

   1. When faith grows, love grows. If your love for others isn’t growing, your faith isn’t growing. Knowledge isn’t the same as faith. If your love for others is decreasing… yet you “have faith” — somethin’ needs a checkin’.

6. 1:7-9, How sobering these verses are and a warning to those who “do not know God” (this could easily apply to Christians who don’t actually have a relationship with Jesus) and those who “do not obey the gospel of Jesus”

   1. “Destruction” here means ruin, not annihilation. It implies a state of consciousness for eternity apart from God. If that doesn’t motivate you to share the gospel….

7. 1:11, These letters majorly exemplify Paul’s prayer life. I LOVE these final verses. My ESV Study Bible points out Paul is praying the 3 points below. What a perfect prayer prompt for us!!!

   1. That their behavior is consistent with their identity

   2. That they live up to their calling of salvation

   3. That their lives are marked by goodness + powerful WORKS of faith

   

8. 1:12, “Worthy” popped out to me in this chapter. Then the chapter closes with “God’s grace” and it connected it for me that we are only able to be considered worthy of the kingdom (v. 5) and worthy of being glorified “in him” (v. 12) because of God’s grace. The persecution was God’s grace that made them worthy. I went on a bit of a deep dive rabbit hole on this verse and the greek word “Axiós” because it’s borderline heresy for a modern christian to hear we have to do something to be “worthy”??? Is it not??!?! Because didn’t the blood of Jesus cover that??? I think the point is this: yes, salvation is secure, but our lives should still reflect our identity. Not in perfection—but in dependence, confession, repentance, running the race, fighting the good fight.

   1. If suffering is God’s grace, what does that make a life of comfort? Some would say “passive wrath.”

APPLYING IT

Encouragement when life is feeling impossible:

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

This verse is hope.

We WILL be completely sanctified. We WILL be made entirely holy. Right now is but a shadow, a glimmer, a spiritual sense. Our BODY. SOUL. SPIRIT. will be holy at Jesus’ second coming. That means our hearts, our minds, our desires, our preferences, our wills, our emotions. It’s almost incomprehensible actually.

This is encouragement when holiness /conquering sin or temptation feels impossible! The commanding language—God WILL make this happen. NKJV says “sanctify COMPLETELY.” Come, Lord Jesus, amirite.

You will be empowered to do the good things your faith prompts you to do:

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

This wraps up both chapters in my opinion.

We will suffer, but it enables us to be worthy of his call. You will be honored along with him at his return!!! He will empower us to accomplish what our faith prompts us to do, because we do not quench the spirit! And IT’S ALL GOD’S GRACE.

…..

I could also just as easily delete the portion above and make the application: love one another more. It certainly is a red thread across both chapters and is Paul’s application following “therefore” in 5:11.

REFLECT

What in my life, my behavior, my thoughts, my attitudes, is inconsistent with my identity? What is essentially holding me back from being worthy? What persecution have I suffered that I can see now as God’s grace? Where/how am I quenching the spirit? Does my love increase with my faith or is just my knowledge increasing without love?

PRAYER

God, thank you for everyone here reading through Thessalonians. I know you have something here for all of us to glean and apply to our daily lives. Thank you that You are faithful and you will one day sanctify us completely! Help us trust you when “day of the Lord” judgements are hard to understand, help us turn to you in our doubt and lean in harder to sharing the gospel with others. Reveal to us where our behavior is inconsistent with our identity. Show us who needs edifying, who needs admonishment and teach us to be thankful for admonishment and warning in return. Give us opportunities for goodness, that we may display powerful works of faith that glorify you. Equip us to accomplish all the good things our faith prompts us to do! Help us to focus on you in praise and worship when our flesh wants to quench the spirit. Increase our love as our knowledge and faith increase. In your son’s name, AMEN.

RESOURCES

I’ve recommended this “be set apart” in a previous post and I’m sharing again as it perfectly fits the topic of holiness and does a deep dive on breaking down the relationship of our body, soul, spirit.

The GGB video is like a follow up, expanding even more on body, soul, spirit. Highly recommend both!!!!

NEXT WEEK

Read 2 Thess 2-3, the last week! I’ll post notes next Friday.

One more thing before you go…

Have you heard about Summer of Fruit yet?! Join the Feast For Families community for a preschool Bible Study!

More info at the link below. Please share the image on your story to help spread the word!

feast for families

Launching in June: Summer 2025 Bible study on the Fruit of the Spirit for littles 0-6

I’m SO excited to share something I have been working on for a while now: a summer Bible Study for littles 0-6…

Read more

a year ago · 1 like · 3 comments · Augusta

Feast For Families

This week will look a little different in that it will be more video-heavy than text-heavy. This post takes about 7 minutes to read. The video is 30 minutes and includes A LOT MORE than what’s in the post!

Do you have a preference on text or video? Weigh in on the poll at the bottom of this post.

WEEK ONE

Are you joining me? What did you love about this week’s readings?! Let me know in the comments!

Leave a comment

SUMMARY

1 Thessalonians 3 - Good report

Paul sent Timothy to “find out whether their faith was still strong” because he was “afraid the tempter had gotten the best of them.” Paul wrote this letter after Timothy came back with a good report.

1 Thessalonians 4 - Live holy

Paul validates the Thessalonians that they are already living holy, yet he urges and encourages them to live in a way that pleases God even more. He validates them that they already show love for all believers but urges them to love all people even more. Paul closes with the hope and encouragement of what Jesus’ resurrection means for believers who have died.

TAKEAWAYS

Here are my high-level takeaways (+ reflection questions). Check out the video for more things I loved/struck me about these chapters.

1. THINGS THAT STRESSED PAUL OUT (3:1, 3:5, 3:8-9). As far as we can tell through his letters, things that Paul had great anxiety over were NOT: shipwrecks. Imprisonment. Beatings. Whippings. Starvation. Finances. Plagues. Clothes. Persecution. Slander. No, what really got to him was the sanctification of his fellow believers. I’ve written about this before. Paul’s greatest passion was preaching the gospel to those who didn’t know Jesus. Salvation. But he cared just as much about the next step: sanctification. The language he used in this 1 Thess 3 shows his desperate urgency to find out how his brothers and sisters in Christ were doing. . His goal was to visit them again to “help fill in the gaps of their faith.” ✍️Growing and overflowing with love for all people in turn makes our hearts strong, blameless, and holy (aka PURE), (3:12-13). Not with worldly love (you do you! your truth!) but with holy love (live holier, live to please God—includes rebuking, correction, and encouragement).

   1. REFLECT: Who am I discipling? Am I way more stressed about my own life’s circumstances than the progressing holiness of my fellow believers? (Answer: yes lol). Do I focus more on salvation of nonbelievers in my life and not enough on embracing and “filling in the gaps” of faith of fellow believers?

2. LIVING HOLIER AND LOVING MORE—BUT SLOWLY. (4:1, 4:10). Paul didn’t say, “Very well, now take a break! You deserve some ~me time~! That’s enough!” No, the tone was keep going, do more, even more. If you felt exhausted or overwhelmed reading that instruction, take heart: he immediately follows up with “make it your goal to live a quiet life” (4:11). Paul is not saying, “Be busier! Be more productive! Host a conference, start a podcast, knock on people’s doors!” Paul is not saying, “Put your church body and coworkers and city’s sick and hungry before your own husband, children, house!” (that would be messing up our priorities outlined in prov 31). The “live a quiet life” implies an inner quiet, stillness. Inner peace. We can live holier and love more by simply seeing—truly, spiritually seeing—who God intentionally placed in our path that day. The grocery clerk. A quiet child. Old friend who popped up in our head. Removing worldly distractions (as part of chasing holiness) in order to spiritually see and hear better. ✍️Don’t grow complacent in your holiness or capacity to love others; increase in both, but not through over-productivity or business. Simply see the people around you, in your path and love them. Simply choose the next thing you can fast from or add to your life to pursue heart, mind, body purity.

   1. REFLECT: Do I subconsciously settle in my holiness by comparing myself to others? When was the last time I fasted from something unnecessary (social media, shopping, secular music, coke, sugar, etc) to help pursue holiness? Do I truly regularly deny myself? Where in my life am I currently using self-restraint? Who have I crossed paths with in my day today that I can pray for? Who is in my eye-line that needs an encouraging word? Who does God want me to speak life into today?

3. OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE, OUR REASON FOR LIVING, IS TO BE HOLY (4:3, 4:7). Paul’s overall point is a deep, inner spiritual + heart purity (3:11-13). But from that flows external, bodily purity. You can have physical purity without inner purity but you cannot have inner purity without physical purity. And remember: WE ARE ALREADY MADE PURE by the blood of Jesus, not by how many fasts we do a year—not by *anything* we do or don’t do. We are blameless through justification! Sigh of relief. But living holy does bring intimacy with Jesus, freedom from sin, and eternal rewards. From commentaries I’ve read, the Thessalonians were living in a time when pagan religions included sexual acts as part of their rites and rituals, whereas Paul is exhorting them to not engage in anything sexual outside of marriage. Pulling back, ✍️our life’s purpose is to live in a way that pleases God, becoming holier every year, and exhorting others in our life to the same. (If you’re still thinking, “What’s the *point* of holiness tho?!” —> watch the video!!! I laid out what I wish I had known in my younger years).

   1. REFLECT: What is my goal every day? What is on my to do list today? What are my daily habits and routine? Now, do my goals, tasks, routines align with my life purpose of pleasing God and becoming holier? What in my life is absolutely destroying or subtly hindering my goal of holiness?

What does living holier look like to you?! I’m honestly struggling with answering this myself but I’m curious what you all have to say. Let’s discuss in the chat!!

PRAYER

Father, first of all—thank you for every single person listening to the video and reading this post. You brought them here and you have something here for them. I pray your heart softens our hearts to your word in this Thessalonians study. Your word is sanctification. Sanctify our hearts—set us apart for holiness—as we study your character through your word. Increase our capacity to love others more. Increase our desire to pursue holiness more. Thank you for providing for and sustaining us as we love you and love others. In your son’s name, AMEN!

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:17

RESOURCES

ONE// I linked this in last week too. Must listen if you’re wanting help understanding the rapture/trib/millennial kingdom. But of course, no matter what your believe, our application is the same: live holy. Just ignore the semi cheesy video cover lol.

TWO // Stay True Podcast: Holy Habits. I listened to it twice to take notes the 2nd time and also really resonate with the “effort” part in my testimony. It’s so practical too! Perfect for this week’s theme of holy living.

NEXT WEEK

Read 1 Thessalonians 5 - 2 Thessalonians 1 and I’ll be back next Friday with my video + notes!

PSSSSSST

Calling all moms of littles 0-6!

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Launching in June: Summer 2025 Bible study on the Fruit of the Spirit for littles 0-6

I’m SO excited to share something I have been working on for a while now: a summer Bible Study for littles 0-6…

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a year ago · Augusta

Thanks for reading🤍