Faith & Encouragement

Part III Unfortunately, as the year ended, our tennis trio eventually dissolved. Rhi was getting married, so her time and attention were on her upcoming nuptials. I didn’t want to lose what Luis taught me, so I started taking adult tennis lessons through my local community recreational center. Commuting to Luis and Rhi’s side of town was harder to manage…

Part II: Halfway into 2022, Luis, Rhi, and I struggled to maintain our tennis trio. My work schedule intensified and Rhi and I were both traveling more frequently. During one of our joint trips, she had the brilliant idea for us to treat Luis to a birthday brunch to thank him for his generosity in giving us free lessons. I…

Part I: It was the summer of 2021. COVID was alive and well which meant limited opportunities for social interaction. Virtual hang-outs, wiping down grocery deliveries, and group fitness classes on Zoom were a part of my day-to-day. While I appreciated the technological advancement that made virtual connections possible, I still needed human interaction. I yearned to be around people…

Recently, a friend and I were catching up about the most recent happenings in our lives while enjoying weekend brunch. Between bites of omelets and toast, she shared the good news of an answered prayer. But I noticed she wasn’t as excited as I expected. When I questioned what I perceived to be her lack of gratitude, she provided details…

I’ve read the story of the Rich Young Ruler from Matthew 19:16 – 26 several times and lazily glossed over what Jesus asked the young man to do then quietly judged the ruler for not doing it. But the truth is, I might have responded the same way the young ruler did. If I had been following God’s commandments since…

Like thousands (maybe millions) of other people on Thanksgiving, I wanted to get a workout in before I enjoyed our family meal. Thus, I headed straight to a nearby hiking trail that circles a local reservoir. The sun was shining bright enough to make the fall morning feel more like a spring day. As I wound my car through the…

I wear glasses. Therefore, I don’t have the luxury of opening my eyes in the morning and having clear vision. Instead, people and objects are increasingly blurry until I either slide my glasses on or pop my contacts in. For those who have the luxury of seeing clearly when you wake up, can you imagine having clear vision one moment…

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, the Bible has some juicy, amazingly scandalous stories that will rival your favorite Netflix series. Some stories encompass love, sex, drama, betrayal, and redemption. One such story is the story of Samson in Judges chapters 13-16. A minister at my church taught about Samson which made me want to revisit it…

There are Bible stories I heard as a child, and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I really sat with the gravity of what the story represented. The story of Sarai, Abram, and Hagar from the sixteenth chapter of Genesis is one of those stories. I mean, talk about drama! In case you don’t know, here is a…

My sister sent me a song that has seemed like the soundtrack for my life over the last year. Bryan and Katie Torwalt sing some of the sweetest lyrics to God- lyrics that have captured my heart and often bring me to tears in remembrance of His faithfulness: Wouldn’t it be like You to be different than we thought, different…