Peter is an incredible follower of Jesus but isn't without sin. In Luke 22, Jesus shares a final meal with His disciples on His way to the cross. Jesus tells Peter to watch out because the enemy wants to sift him. Peter doesn't see himself how Jesus sees him. Peter chooses a different way to define himself by his truth, not Jesus'. '"Lord,' he told him, 'I'm ready to go with you both to prison and to death.'" Luke 22:33 (CSB). At this moment, this is a deception: Peter[...]
Is discipline a consequence or a gift? The answer depends on where you have rooted your identity. As a little girl, I learned how to gain my parents' approval from a young age. Be good, do good, be better, do better, don't be a hassle, don't make waves. The problem was that no one could always be good, so inevitably, this led to an emphasis on performance: If I appeared "good," I would be accepted, loved and approved. When your motivation is striving to be good to gain acceptance, discipline is a consequence[...]
Why do we despise that which is good for us? Why do we see discipline as negative, harmful, and prevention of living our truest selves? I want another donut, just one more episode, just one more drink, just one more click, scroll, or post, indulgences that lead us to hate ourselves after but in the moment feel so authentically right and deserved. You deserve it; you work so hard, you’ve had a hard day, you need to rest, chill, relax, you do so much for others, and you need to do something for yourself. We[...]
There is a trash bag inside our hearts where all the dark stuff lives. All our sin, pain and brokenness go into this garbage bag: all the pain, brokenness, insecurities, anxieties, fears, concerns, strongholds, lies, burdens, false yokes, doubts, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, hiddenness, pride, jealousy, envy, strife and anger. For some of us, the garbage bag is full, even overflowing, and we don’t really care; in fact, we rummage through the bag daily and proudly, pulling things out to use again a[...]
Today’s blog is a personal journal entry about how the Lord spoke to me about a part of my identity that I thought was “just who I am,” yet He is inviting me into a different way. As you read this, I pray that you would allow God to speak to you about your own identity and how He wants to bring truth, healing and new life! I have fantasized about having more time alone for as long as I can remember. I imagined what it would be like to go on a vacation alone, to be stranded on a remote island alone and[...]
One of the meanings of discipline is to punish or penalize to train and control; correct; chastise. When you are disciplined for doing something wrong, it does not necessarily result in repentance or transformation. I find myself pondering the question today, what type of environment must be cultivated to yield the fruitful results of discipline? What we believe has a significant impact on the response to discipline in our lives. I remember fearing punishment as a child, yet fear wasn't enough of a deterren[...]
My word for this year is DISCIPLINE: a word with more negative feelings connected to it than positive ones. Discipline tends to remind us of what we lack, where we fall short, or punishment. Then, we bring ourselves to the other side of this word, only to be left with decisions that feel impossible, too hard, or laborious. So, we choose the path of least resistance, yet again, comfort wins over discipline, and we remain frustrated in our same habits. But I am excited for this new quest: a climb up the Everes[...]
I feel a deep conviction in my soul. There is a huge piece I missed as we launched Heartstrong season 1. Even my welcome opener video was about how you "do" Heartstrong. I got it wrong. Heartstrong is not something you do. You see, I got Heartstrong wrong. It wasn’t an invitation to come and do Heartstrong Discipleship Intensive together. It was an invitation to become Heartstrong Disciples of Jesus. A natural outflow of being is doing. Our actions confirm our identity. The things we do reveal who we are.[...]
Marks of the True Christian "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good." Romans 12:9 Romans 12 is one of my favourite chapters in the Bible. It's full of everything one needs to live a life in Christ. The title of this part of the chapter is Marks of a True Christian, which leads us to believe that there is such thing as a false or untrue Christian. Does a false Christian even know that they are a false Christian? This very small yet packed verse comes with three instructions. Let[...]
"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'" Isaiah 41:13 (ESV). God established the trustworthiness of His name. Like a loving father, he holds our dominant hand to remind us to trust Him, rely on Him, and in this position, we never have to fear: He is our help and strength. We must learn to discern the voice of the Lord. I am so thankful for the Bible that gives us everything we will ever need to know about God. It would take an entire li[...]