Girl Who Grew Up On A Bus

Our days are numbered. We are all dying. Some just faster than others. Time. It is the most taken for granted possession we have. We waste it in a way that we'd never waste things like money, gas, and so on. A gift that was given to us, we simply take for granted assuming that it will always be there when we need it. That's a lie. Our days on earth are numbered and every day we are closer to our last. The reality is each one of us are dying. Some just faster than others. We all hear about the stories of the person who has a major epiphany after receiving a death sentence. We hear about the change in perspective and how quickly priorities change. But the reality is we all have that same death sentence and we never know how soon our time will end. I, too, have recently developed a new relationship with time. It is something I must literally fight for every day. It is a precious commodity and each new day that I am fortunate enough to receive is a...

    "We see the world through a lens of our own brokenness, which then distorts our perception of reality causing us to react to the stories we tell ourselves rather than the actual truth".   Can I just say it? Life is hard. I think we can all agree with that. Today's culture sends us conflicting messages about what is important, what kind of job we should have, how much money we should earn, how we should look, and the list goes on and on. It's confusing and just when we think we've reached the bar of worthiness, the standard changes and we are reminded that we can never live up to the expectations of society. In the eyes of the world, we are doomed for complete and utter failure from the moment we enter it. Ugh! No wonder there is so much brokenness in the world! Material things have become more important than quality time connecting with our children, we are willing to compromise our core values to get that next promotion, we rate our ...

Part 2 "We must walk in the truth so  that we can get to the other  side of healing. We must get  comfortable with being uncomfortable." In part one, I talked about the scars that we acquire as we walk through life in a broken and harsh world. As a result, so many of us put on a full body mask and hide our battle wounds from others and from ourselves, hoping that if we cover them up, we can forget about them forever. The problem, however, is that "forgetting" or "ignoring" the truth does not actually change what's true and it eventually takes its toll on us at a core level.  See, the truth is the truth regardless of if it's ever spoken. There is no such thing as a true secret. There is ALWAYS at least two who know: the secret-keeper and God. So again, let's just call it what it is: the thought that we can hide our scars or make them disappear "is a lie". We are who we are, and maybe today that's a broken pe...

. Part 1 "We are constantly seeking to  fill the void inside, to find  a purpose for our lives, to heal the scars  we’ve endured, and to find a  sense of peace that surpasses  our understanding". Anyone who has lived on this Earth, knows that life is hard. We all have a story. Think about it. You have ended up right here, right now because of a sequence of life events that have led you to this very moment in time. You are reading this now, by no mistake mind you, for a reason that may or may not ever be fully revealed to you. Perhaps it's for you or for someone you know... I think about my story. I think about the sequence of life events that have led me right here, right now, writing these words in a coffee shop – an opportunity that would have never arose if I wasn’t currently in a trying season of my life that has me sitting here killing time between multiple doctor appointments. And let me share that when I write, it’s with inspir...

"Life is a constant struggle of reigning ourselves back in to refocus on what really matters." Do you remember being a kid and trying to walk on the parking lot curbs without falling? Interesting how as soon as we'd lose focus, we'd lose our balance and fall. Thank goodness the ground was only four inches away! Imagine taking it to the next level - tight rope walking. I can't even imagine the amount of focus, determination, and coordination required to do that without plunging to the ground! Life is a lot like this and the world is so full of distractions that it is almost impossible to stay focused on the end game. We often don't even realize we are off track until it's too late. Imagine trying to walk a straight line and looking only at each step as you take it, fully focused on where you are in that moment with no clear sight of where you are trying to get to. The odds are that you will veer off incrementally with each step until you end up...

  "...underneath heartache, pain, suffering, loss, bitterness, fear, anger, resentment, and sadness, there is simply a deep-rooted desire to be loved and accepted"   I've had the opportunity to talk to many people over the past few weeks as they've shared their stories and their personal struggles in life. Every story was completely different, yet there was a common theme among all of them. Each person was shackled by chains that kept them from experiencing the freedom that Christ delivered to them when He died on the cross. Each person was held in bondage created by their own inability to let go of the very things that have immobilized them. I've spent many hours writing and praying for answers, for insight, and for a deeper understanding that could explain the pain that plagues the lives of so many. What causes brokenness? Why do we let things get between us and who God created us to be? How do our hearts become so hardened? Why do we push ...