My absolute favorite thing about teaching high school students is when I get to have real, genuine conversations with my students. Today, my students took their state exams, so at the end of the day, I put on a movie, and I let the kids talk, hang out, and relax a little.  A boy who sits near my desk was finishing some of his late work, and I overheard him talking to another boy about this girl he's been talking to. After a particularly funny comment one of them made, I looked over at them with wide eyes and asked if he had gotten in trouble with his mom for what he said. One thing led to another, and we started talking about relationships.  This boy conveyed that he didn't want to put his all into a relationship with this girl, because he was afraid if he put his everything in, what if she broke his heart? A wise thought from a 16-year-old boy.  It got me thinking about relationships, brokenness, and how important it is to put God at the center of every relationshi...

  On November 30, 2022, seven-year-old Athena Strand was at home in Paradise, Texas, when a FedEx contract delivery driver arrived with a package—Christmas presents Athena’s step-mom had ordered. What should have been an ordinary moment—a package delivery—turned into something unimaginable. Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver, kidnapped Athena and later murdered her, taking the life of a child who should have been safe at her own home. After years of court battles, Horner stood in court today and pled guilty to the charges. The reality of what happened to Athena has once again come to the surface, which forces us to confront something we often try to avoid: the presence of real, undeniable evil in the world. There is no way to soften what happened, and there really is no reason to try to understand. Maybe it's because it happened so close to home, or maybe it's because I've known the Strand family my whole life. Maybe it's because I'm the mom of two girls, or mayb...

I recently watched a TikTok of Kent Hovind, an evangelist who talks about how God transcends time, space, and matter. He argues that the "trinity of trinities" of time, space, and matter necessitate an all-powerful creator. While Mr. Hovind's theories are controversial in the scientific community, it got me thinking about how our material world trinity is representative of the Holy Trinity of God. Similar to the Holy Trinity, time, space, and matter are not separate, independent concepts that can exist on their own; they are deeply interconnected. In fact, remove one, and the entire framework of existence begins to fall apart. Time is what allows events to occur. It is the dimension in which change happens, where cause leads to effect, and where movement is even possible. Without time, nothing could happen. There would be no sequence, no growth, no motion—only a frozen, meaningless state. Time gives existence its progression. Space, on the other hand, is the settin...

When we hear the word “trans” these days, our immediate first thought probably has something to do with transgender. That’s what we hear most often in pop culture and political debates. But the prefix itself transcends the current debate.  The prefix trans- comes from Latin meaning across, beyond, or to the other side of something. Once you understand that meaning, a whole group of English words becomes more clear: transform, transport, translate, transfer, transgress. Each of these words carries the same basic idea—movement from one place, condition, or state to another.  Trans words run all throughout Scripture. The Bible repeatedly describes the work of God as moving people across something—from darkness into light, from death into life, from separation into reconciliation. God is constantly bringing people from where they were into something entirely new.  Transform  One of the clearest examples of this prefix appears in the word transform. In Romans 12:2, P...

For years, I prayed that God would change my ex-husband. I prayed that God would soften his heart, make him kinder, make him easier to co-parent with, or for God to help him become the kind of man I believed he could be. I prayed that God would convict him, transform him, and bring him to a place of repentance. After all, Scripture tells us in Matthew 19:26 that “with God all things are possible.” If God can part the Red Sea, raise the dead, and transform Saul the persecutor into Paul the apostle, surely He could change the heart of one man. So I prayed. And prayed. And prayed some more. For a long time, nothing changed. Or at least nothing changed in him. And that created a tension in my faith that I didn’t quite know what to do with. I watched all these women who had prayed their husbands into a relationship with God. So why not mine? If God can change anyone’s heart, and I was faithfully praying for that change, why wasn’t it happening? Was I not praying hard enough? Was I not ...

In my English class, I teach my students Greek and Latin roots. My theory has always been that if students learn the roots of words, they can usually figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words on their own. Instead of memorizing hundreds of vocabulary words, they learn the building blocks of language, and suddenly their vocabulary grows with much less effort. One of those building blocks is the prefix re -. It’s a prefix that means “again” or “back.” When you know that meaning, a whole group of words suddenly becomes clear: renew, revive, refresh, rejoice, restore. The Bible is full of re- words. This small prefix appears again and again in Scripture, and the message behind it is deeply encouraging—that God is a God of restoration. He does not simply create once and then abandon what has been broken. He restores. He renews. He revives. Over and over again. Rejoice The command to rejoice appears throughout Scripture. In Philippians 4:4, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord alwa...

Most people wouldn’t be able to recognize it if they saw it. It’s not a cedar of Lebanon; it’s not an oak of righteousness. It’s not an olive branch or a Rose of Sharon. It’s a small, scraggly plant that grows out of rocky soil in the Middle East. And yet, God chose it.   God doesn’t waste details. When something appears repeatedly in Scripture, especially at pivotal moments in redemptive history, it’s there on purpose.  In Exodus 12, the Israelites stood on the brink of freedom. Egypt had been devastated by plagues, and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened beyond reason. One final judgment was coming, and it would divide life from death with terrifying precision. A lamb would be slain, and its blood would be the difference between preservation and destruction.  But God did not tell the Israelites to admire the lamb, nor did He even tell them to simply believe that its blood was powerful. He instructed them to take a branch of hyssop, dip it into the blood, and apply it ...

Arguably, we live in the most divisive times in political history. Our nation is sharply divided by red and blue. Demonstrations and protests are a daily occurrence, and the sentiment toward our current president is unprecedented. There has never been a president so loved, yet so hated at the same time.  Regardless of how you feel about Trump politically or personally, God commands us to pray for him. I Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” The command here is clear—that we are to pray for our leaders. Godliness does not determine if someone is worthy of our prayers. Whether our leaders are godly or not, we are to lift them up to the Lord. When voting for the president, it is important for Christians to rem...

I'm a member of a couple mom groups on Facebook, and one of the most common mom complaints is about other children "bullying" their children. Many of these posts admonish other moms, telling them to "teach your children how" to behave, to treat others, to not bully, etc. In these posts, the moms usually lament the schools, teachers and administrators who are idly standing by while their child is relentlessly being bullied. Threats to take action to the school board or even the local news station abound.  I always want to respond to these posts, but I usually refrain, because most parents would not want to hear what I have to say: Get over it.  While on the surface, this may seem insensitive, or as if I think bullying is ok. I don't quite mean for it to come off that way. I know there are situations where children experience real abuse or sustained harassment, and those situations absolutely require intervention. That is not what I’m talking about he...

Inks Lake and the Frio River are probably my two favorite places in Texas. Inks, a small lake in the shadow of larger Lake Buchanan, is just about an hour northwest of Austin. It has clear, cool water, great fishing and a spot called "The Devil's Watering Hole." The Devil's Watering Hole is a quiet cove where you can swim, float and jump off a 20-foot-high rock into the water. There are hiking trails, a small river to float, and natural rock slides that send you splashing into the water below. The views on the water rival anywhere in the world. The Frio in Concan is about an hour and a half west of San Antonio. The Frio is an amazing, cool river to float down. You pack up drinks, snacks and a waterproof speaker into innertubes and just let the water take you downriver. If you'd like, you could choose to swim all day long, too. There are swimming holes, rocks to jump off of, and a giant slide that may or may not toss you a little too quickly into the crisp riv...

One score and 4 years ago, our nation was on the precipice of war. We watched in horror as the Twin Towers fell. Our mouths agape, standing in utter shock, we held on to each other. After the attacks of 9/11, our nation had never been more united. We had never been more solidified. Together. The left and the right amalgamated into Americans that day. We plastered “Never Forget” on bracelets and T-Shirts. We flew American flags in our front yards and our apartment balconies. We slapped an American flag bumper sticker on our Fords and Chevys. However, less than a quarter century later, we indeed have forgotten 9/11. We forgot the camaraderie we felt in the days following 9/11. We forgot the brotherhood that united us. We have become so polarized in our political opinions that children have gone no-contact with their parents. People have cut off lifelong friends just because they wear a red hat. We are starkly divided by race, by religion, by politics.  Yesterday, a life was ended...

My pastor fell. He fell hard.  He fell in the most public way possible, and what makes it worse is that he actually committed the crimes he's accused of. My heart has been broken for months about it, and it's taken me that amount of time to write this whole article.  He was indicted last week, and he turned himself in to Oklahoma authorities today. I’ve already seen at least 7 articles about the story posted just today.  I started attending Gateway Church in 2007. From the moment I stepped foot on their Southlake Campus, it was home. The worship was moving, and every sermon--whether it was Senior Pastor Robert Morris, Preston Morrison, Tim Ross, Tom Lane, or any guest speaker--spoke directly to my heart. I took voracious notes each week. I have volumes of sermon notes on my bookcase in my bedroom. Soon after joining the church, Gateway started expanding to satellite campuses. The NRH Campus opened, which was much closer to our home, so we started attending this campu...

“He’s an adulterer.” “He’s a felon.” “He’s a womanizer.” “He’s arrogant.” “He spews inflammatory rhetoric.” “He’s a racist.” “He bends rules to suit himself.” “He’s not fit to be a leader.” I’m not talking about former President Donald J. Trump. That’s King David. King David is arguably the most famous biblical king. He wrote most of the Psalms, and he’s the main character in I and II Samuel, and I and II Chronicles. Most people know that David was a “man after God’s own heart” (I Samuel 13:14), and is remembered as a courageous, obedient, and merciful king. David brought peace and prosperity to Israel during their “Golden Age,” uniting the 12 tribes of Israel under one monarch. When we read the Psalms, we see David over and over again crying out to the Lord, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). He reminds us that “the Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) and that we are to “delight ourselves in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). We see ...

Having to co-parent with a narcissist is a rollercoaster. When the times are good, we can talk about our children, agree on decisions and even talk at the children's school activities. When the times are bad, I receive disparaging text messages telling me how horrible I am, I get called names, yelled at in public, slandered on social media and e-mails sent to my bosses at work. For years, I had the hope that we would be able to get along and that he would change—that he would be changed by God. God can change people. God can do anything. Matthew 19:26 tells us that, "with God, all things are possible." The means He can even heal narcissists. But sometimes, when you’re the spouse of a narcissist (or you have to co-parent with one), especially as a Christian, you feel that Jesus may have been lying when He told this to the disciples. You're on a rollercoaster of emotions—you pray and hope and pray and hope and see no change. You’re devastated all over again, because...

Not too far from my house, a Chick-Fil-A closed down their location and re-opened down the street in an old Applebee's. They took several months to remodel the Applebee's to become a large, brand-new Chick-Fil-A. It has a double drive-thru with a sliding glass door for employees to easily access the cars in line. The transformation from a casual dining restaurant to a fast food restaurant is nothing short of remarkable. There is nothing in or on that building that would suggest it was ever anything but a CFA.  It made me think about how we are to become new creations in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away, and behold all things are made new." Just as that Applebee's in no longer an Applebee's, we are no longer our old selves. We are a brand-new Chick-Fil-A.  We also don't get to hold on to the old signage. How confusing would it be if the new CFA still had an Applebe...

Yahweh, Breath of God.   At the end of July, my girls and I went with my sister and two of her kids to the Frio River in southeast Texas to camp and float the river. Floating the river is a long-standing Texas tradition. You get in an innertube and just let the river current take you downstream. You pack food and drinks for the day, and you just bask in the sun and float away. After a few days of hot sun and cool water, we were packing up to go home. My 16-year-old daughter and I were hitching the trailer to my Tahoe, and I wasn’t paying enough attention to what we were doing. My right index finger got caught, and I couldn’t move it. My daughter tried her hardest to help, but I couldn’t communicate in anything but screams. I made a movement with my left hand to move the trailer. In her effort to free me, she pushed when I needed her to pull. The end result was half of my fingertip being severed off. Through cussing and screaming, I immediately found paper towels to wrap around ...

“I am so offended,” one of my freshman students called out after reading the introductory scene from  Romeo and Juliet . I can understand her feeling that way, as it is a particularly misogynistic scene. “You don’t get to be offended,” I replied to her. She looked at me haughtily, as if I can’t tell her what she can be offended by. “You see,” I continued, “you don’t get to be offended, because it wasn’t written to you, nor was it written about you.” I went on to tell her that she can most definitely find Shakespeare’s scene offensive—because it is—but she doesn’t get to be offended, because she cannot take it personally. A look of understanding slowly started to wash over her face. The entire classroom’s attitude shifted from feeling victimized by Shakespeare to understanding that the material is offensive, and therefore we can call it that and learn from it. However, all too often, we get offended by people’s words and actions, as if they were directed toward us.  Be...

Sometimes I just don’t feel like it. I don’t feel like rejoicing. I don’t feel like worshipping. I don’t feel like even talking to God. I’m tired. I’m physically exhausted. I’m emotionally exhausted. David felt this way, too. In Psalm 31, David talks about how exhausted he is. “I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” He goes on to say how he is like broken pottery, and people were conspiring to kill him. Does David give up? Does David languish in his agony? Over and over, David makes a conscious choice to praise God. He says repeatedly, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul.” As a kid growing up, I always thought David was “the worshipper,” so therefore he must have felt a deep connection to God all the time. But when you look deeper at the scripture, you’ll see that he is telling his very soul what to do. He isn’t just pouring out praises here. It is as if he is commanding his soul, “Hey, there David! You need to bless the Lord.” Our soul is comprise...