Not long ago, I sat in worship thinking “Every aspect of this service has been entirely about me.” That week, it felt like worship pointed not to Jesus, but to me.
I’m pretty sure that a few months earlier, I would not have been so acutely aware...
In college, I worked as a Resident Advisor in a dorm, for which I received a very tiny monthly stipend. Some months, I spent my entire stipend at the local Christian bookstore buying Christian fiction. I adored Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers,...
My youth ministry did the 30 Hour Famine last week. It went well. Very well, in fact. Unfortunately, I felt like my colleagues didn't notice it, let alone affirm my role in it. This was disheartening to me – a fact that I hate.
Yet, what I’m...
November 10.
It was my due date the first time I was pregnant. Only I never made it that far. Shortly after finding out I was pregnant, I miscarried and my world shattered.
Even now, nearly four years later, I still grieve that day. More often...
Much to my delight, my daughter, Hope, loves to read. We read in the morning, in the afternoon, and before bed. The other day, we even caught her reading while she was trying to go potty.
This girl likes books – a fact that couldn’t make me...
Mission trips to Rwanda have made me interested in east Africa. For that reason, I was excited to read Katie Davis Majors’ Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful.
In Daring to Hope, Katie shares stories from her...
A few years ago, I participated in one of The Youth Cartel’s Youth Ministry Coaching Programs, which was a great investment in my leadership development. Among other things, I loved getting to rub shoulders with great youth workers and learning...
An increasing body of research suggests that young people are leaving the church. Churchgoers don’t need the research to tell them what they see playing out in their own congregations.
As a person of faith, I care deeply about this phenomenon. As...
As a youth pastor, I want to cultivate a love for Scripture in students.
To do this, I’m intentional about making sure my students open a Bible and dig into Scripture at each gathering we have. I’m also intentional about giving away Bibles.
Over...
The last six weeks have been challenging.
The transition at my church continues to be difficult.
My daughter started preschool and while she’s thriving, adapting our schedules has been rough for all of us.
Multiple people in my husband’s family...
Being a parent is hard.
So, too, is navigating technology and screen time with young children.
For this reason, I was excited to read Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane's Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World.
The...
The world, and in particular, the United States is becoming more divisive.
Few people I know would disagree with that statement right now.
Yet, few people I know – including, or perhaps, especially – Christians, know what to do about that...
I care deeply about justice, as does the congregation I'm a part of. For this reason, I was excited to dig into J. Paul Nyquist's Is Justice Possible: The Elusive Pursuit of What is Right.
This book was a mixed bag for me. I loved that...
It's no secret that I genuinely love liturgy. It orders worship, creates familiarity (and therefore, for me, comfort), but most importantly, intentionally centers worship on Jesus.
Because I love liturgy, I was both excited and intrigued to read...
The Yaconelli name is a familiar one to those in youth ministry. Mike Yaconelli was one of the founders of Youth Specialties and a legend in the youth ministry world. His son, Mark, is also a recognized figure in the youth ministry world.
One of...
Sometimes, life doesn't go as planned. In those moments, it can be tempting to question God's presence and purpose. In Choosing Real: An Invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn't Go As Planned, author Bekah Jane Pogue uses personal stories and an...
My work as a youth pastor requires me to lead. Together with my colleagues, we provide leadership for our entire congregation. More specifically, I lead teams of adult and student leaders. Together, we lead our congregation's youth ministry.
...
My 22-month old daughter, Hope, adores animals. She loves watching them, petting them, and reading books featuring real life animals or warm, cuddly ones. For this reason, I was excited to read her I'm Going To Give You A Bear Hug! by Caroline...
One of my favorite ways to teach my daughter about faith is by reading to her. For this reason, I'm always on the lookout for clever faith-related children's books.
Bible Basics: A Baby Believer Counting Primer by Danielle Hitchen,...
As a parent, I want to teach my daughter to follow Jesus.
Hope's only 21-months old, so right now, the main way we're doing this is by reading her the Bible in order to teach her the stories of her faith. One of her godmother's got her a copy of...