As soon as I pulled up in front of the rental house, my heart sank. The paint on the exterior was peeling and chipping. A sagging porch with loose boards extended across the front, and the yard was overgrown with weeds. This would be our home for God only knew how long. Due to a mix-up with the apartment complex where we were staying on a temporary basis, we needed to find a new place. Fast. Our old house sat on the other side of the country, waiting for the right buyer. I walked in the Continue Reading
The Danger of Letting Others’ Opinions Distract Us
“God did a good work, Abby.” Tears formed when I heard my friend’s words on the voice message. After a year and a half of working on a book that will be birthed in three months, I was second-guessing everything. Questions about my intentions sent me reeling, and wondering, “Is this what I can expect?” Following God’s call is a constant act of surrender. I used to picture surrender like someone caught in the middle of a crime by a police officer. She throws up her hands, resolved to submit Continue Reading
When You Hit a Wall in Your Faith
About a year and a half ago, I hit a wall in my faith. Although I still prayed, read my Bible on a regular basis, and was active in the church, I didn’t feel connected to God the way I used to be. I faced constant frustration and discouragement over my lack of growth, but I wasn’t sure what needed to change. I felt stuck. Over the course of many years walking with God, he’s instilled one truth in my mind over and over: If I come to him with an earnest desire for more of him, he will Continue Reading