Everyday Insights and Real Life Stories

One of my favorite things to do has always been to stare out the window during car rides or have my head on a wonder-filled swivel during trail rides.  There are wildflowers and rolling hills, diverse forests and beautiful little critters scampering around, the blue of the sky and white cotton ball clouds.  Nature is so gorgeous and sometimes there is literally nothing else in my head but three little words: “Good job, God.” I love nature in all of its beauty and all that it has to offer. From the companionship of pets to the carefully designed ecosystems and food chains and the towering trees and mountains, God has done amazing work in creating this planet we call home.  Just look at the human body: each microscopic, specialized cell made up of smaller particles with specific functions.  If these cells worked in any other way, the human body would not be able to survive.  Every human being, no matter what gender or race, is a miracle of God and He has done...

Last year, when I was applying for the scholarship and Honors Program here at my college, I was required to write an essay about what it means to love the Lord with all your mind.  I think I took a little bit different turn then they meant for me to, but it was very well received.  There’s so much more to the mind than just academics and, though it may not seem possible, the mind is very useful for loving. Loving people the way Christ desires us to strains us and drains us in a way that we can’t possibly recover from and do on our own without His provision and constant inflow of strength and power in our lives.  The determination to continue on despite the fear and disappointment, the quick thinking to deal with a sketchy situation, and the willingness to sacrifice sanity for the sake of children who have never experienced that before is only possible through God’s infinite love and power in our lives.  So I revised my essay to fit a decent blog post on the subjec...

Today, I realized that this month, May, is Mental Health Awareness Month and it got me thinking about the growing statistics surrounding mental health issues and suicides, especially within the church.  Before I start, I want to say right off the bat that I am not one of those people that will say that in order to get rid of depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues that one should “simply have more faith” because that’s just not true.  God has the power and the ability to heal people of any sickness whether it’s cancer or depression, but sometimes He’s got a different plan and desires to use that hardship for His glory and our good.  However, that doesn’t necessarily make the struggle that many people face with mental illness any easier. In fact, let’s check out some statistics: According to the New York Times, U.S. suicide rates surged to a 30-year high in the year 2014 and the overall rate rose 24% between 1999 and 2014, even among groups that had been s...