HEAVY SPIRITUAL BURDEN For several weeks now, I have been experiencing a heavy spiritual burden that has had me vacillating between disbelief, and the hope that the pieces of my faith will eventually fall back into place. From the buoyancy of this ambivalence comes the need to understand the roots of faith itself. What do… Read More Spiritual Peripheries: The War Between Nihilism and Faith
BEAUTIFIED PAIN Resting under the dark grayish blue hues of makeup that is the dawn of the sky’s face on a Sunday morning, I listen to the placating voice of Leslie Mills in Yanni’s “Before the Night Ends” while my stoic, broken gaze is raptured by the song. Truthfully, my faith is hurting. I have… Read More In the Dark: Processing Doubt With Faith
A little over a week ago, I was nominated for the Bloggers Recognition Award by Beautiful Southern Heart’s own Kristen Walker. I’m incredibly humbled to have received this nomination, and grateful for Kristen’s heart in this world. Her writing is vulnerable and real, and I appreciate her openness. As a Christian writer, I can see… Read More Bloggers Recognition Award
THE BLESSING OF A BEATING HEART Earlier last week as I laid on my bed, the position I was in enabled me to feel the rhythm of my heart. As I became relaxed and still, I paid special attention to the movements, visualizing the organ as it circulated blood flow through its valves. Feeling these… Read More Unveiled By Grace: The Blessing of a Beating Heart
REVISITING THE PAST WITH THE HOPE OF FAITH In this article, I’d like to explore how the sentiment behind our memories influence our perception of reality. My intention is to help us to live more fully by understanding the way faith in Jesus integrates hope and healing into our memories, and then our very lives.… Read More Emotions & Memories: Healing Our Broken Past
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS During my first month of college, I met a Christ-follower who invited me to a Baptist church in Orlando. After visiting, my notion of church was completely overturned. Later, my friend invited me to meet at a Starbucks, where he asked me if I wanted a relationship with Jesus. I was hesitant… Read More Disbelief & Finding My Way Home: Part 2
THE WHOLE STORY I would like to fully explain why I converted from disbelief in Christ to Christianity. I have shared bits and pieces of my conversion story in previous articles, but I want to tie it all together in this two-parter. By writing this, I hope to express how powerfully God moved in my life. THE… Read More Disbelief & Finding My Way Home: Part 1
A friend of mine recently asked me if there is anything that could cause me to walk away from God. As a growing Christian, I realize how important and relevant this question is. In this article, what I’d like to do is bring to the surface some of the ways the Christian faith is challenged… Read More The Battle of Keeping the Faith
I lost any sense or normalcy or hope following my parents divorce; my scarce understanding of God hindered my ability to recognize my need for Him. My only view of life was that of pain, loss, and heartbreak. UNAVOIDABLE CRISIS Though I longed for connection, I couldn’t recognize my own needs through my brokenness. My… Read More How Faith in God Makes Sense of Our Pain
Almost 9 years ago, I let Jesus into my life in a way that I had denied Him for the previous 21. Letting Him into my life was one step; desperately calling Him into my heart was another. HINDSIGHT AND ITS TREASURES Nine years of asking questions, of challenging the skepticism/doubt of my atheistic years,… Read More How God Uses the Damaged to Change the World
