Tag Archives: christianity

But I Don’t Understand.

I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time trying to understand. I care deeply and, as a result, I have always asked a lot of questions.

As a student, I spent additional time underlining, was routinely raising my hand, and even received tutoring to fully understand.

As a young adult in leadership programs, I learned that I should seek to understand before being understood.

As a journalist, I set out to understand what makes people tick, why they do what they do, and how that impacts the world around them.

In church, I have often sat in the front, taking notes to make sure the message stuck.

I have sought to understand how bodies and health work to try and get things right.

In relationships, I have found myself confused and have spent even years trying to understand dynamics, motives, and turning points.

In business, I have researched and combed through information to make sure I fully understand to get it all right.

I always seek to understand what the right thing is to do – by the Bible, by people, in business, and law.

And, many times, I have felt stupid… truly… when I have failed to understand something, whether it was school, work, or otherwise.

Understanding… its something we seek… And the wheels just keep turning and turning as we try to make sense of life and get it all right.

When I have lacked understanding , I have gone into fear… fearing I wasn’t smart enough, experienced enough or strong enough to protect myself, to advance myself or my family.

And, get this… understanding is good. There are proverbs and psalms that teach us to seek understanding, to seek wisdom. But seeking wisdom is different than trying to gain a sense of power by knowing it all or launching into fear and anxiety for not knowing everything.

In fact, while understanding is good, the Bible tells us there is something that surpasses understanding… something greater that trumps it… Something greater that guards us more than getting it all…

In Philippians 4:6-7 it says,

“Do be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The PEACE OF GOD transcends understanding.

Peace does not come when you have it all figured out. Because you can have an IQ that is sky-high and experience greater than them all, but you will never fully understand, never know it all, never have it all figured out… We simply are incapable of understanding everything. Only God does.

We don’t have all of the answers. So, if we are leaning on our own understanding to have peace, we will never have peace. But, when we lean on God, we will experience peace that surpasses understanding.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of trying to figure it all out — forfeiting peace and sleep just to never fully understand. But, raising my hands and surrendering to God – our Creator King – is absolutely peace-evoking.

I pray that today, both you and I can give our cranking minds a break and just receive the peace of God that transcends our ability to understand. Peace surpasses understanding. And that peace is God’s gift to us, so we can rest in Him, just knowing that He is good and He never slumbers. He is taking care of it all.

God, I love you. Thank you for being so good and for being God over the throne of all, including Lord over my life. I thank you that your peace transcends my ability to understand and that you are the guarder of my heart. I give my heart, as well as all of my concerns, to you today. Thank you for giving me your peace in return. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Not Disqualified

You may have had a hard season. You may have set out strong and failed. You may have lost. But you are NOT disqualified.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Take the time you need to heal, to breath, to rest, to pray, to bask in the presence of God. Allow Him to speak to you, to download fresh vision, and then make plans to get back out there.

You may not be ready yet, or even for a while, but set your intention to get back on your path. Hope is important. And you can have that hope and assurance knowing that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”

Surrender to Him and see how He works. It won’t be like last time… you won’t be holding it up in your own strength if you surrender.

You feel empty right now, but emptied of yourself is the best place to be. Open your hands to Him, give Him the wheel, make Him the lead of your life – every area of your life- and watch what He does. He never fails, and He will never, ever fail you.

Never Alone

God has brought me through so much. He has never left me. He has never abandoned me. I can never thank Him enough. So I’m just not going to stop. I can’t and simply won’t hoard this good news to myself:

Jesus saves. He is the only one and only thing that saves us from the pit and depths of despair, loneliness, trauma, abandonment, grief and failure. Just call out to Him, “Jesus, Help me. I need your help.” And He will help.

God is an ever present help in the time of trouble. And He can put a new song in your heart, fresh vision in your mind, trade joy for despair and dancing for mourning. He is so, so good.


Psalm 46

“God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

” The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

“Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.’

“The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Community Matters

I am a people-person. I love people. I know God made them in His image and created them because of His great love for them. It is important to me to see people — to truly see them, to see their hearts, especially women.

We as women are doing so much — nurturing those in every generation, all at the same time, as we also strive to steward our gifts and our time to work and provide a living, while often times also trying to serve our communities. It is beautiful. It can also be a lot. And we need friendships, community, and encouragement.

I know that, when my time and focus is primarily focused on tasks and deliverables, I am out of alignment with how God wired me. He created me to be an encourager and a listening ear. He has brought me through so very much that I want to comfort others with the comfort He has given me. Yet, my time has barely allowed me to care for myself at times.

And so, for quite some time, the Lord has been working on my heart to be more in alignment with His heart for me — to be in greater community and in deeper fellowship with my sisters in Christ, seeing and hearing their hearts to a greater degree… more than tasks, more than deliverables.

And so, in this season, I know God is up to something — retuning my habits, my focus and my schedule — to put my days back into alignment with my heart and His desire for me. He created me – He created you too – to be in community. He made us to be in relationship with one another.

For me, my community is The Rooted Sisters, a ministry for professional women that I have the blessing of leading. God is up to something amazing in this ministry where professional women gather to study the Word of God, grow in their faith in Christ, and learn to lead others to do the same. It is an honor to put my heart, focus, and energy here. This means stepping back from other projects and tasks to step up here. And it is a beautiful gift to do so.

For the women reading this, who are so craving community, as well, I invite you to join us through Bible Studies, Prayer Meetings, Equipping Webinars, Fellowship Events, the Christian Business Women’s Breakfast, and so much more. These are rich relationships, centered around Christ, where we truly uplift each other.

Standing On Business

My son used to use this phrase, “Standing on business.” It means he has firmly resolved his stance on a matter, his feet are planted, and he will not move. He knows the truth, he knows who he is, and he won’t be tricked.

He has done a lot of work at a young age to get there, and I respect it so much. His resolve gives me courage. It inspires grit in me, because it took until my late 30’s to overcome the intoxication of people-pleasing with popularity as a carrot.

In many ways, I learned this lesson the hard way: Popularity is a master.

Popularity makes people and their fickle preferences your intention. It puts people- many, many people- before God. It creates idols. It puts the leader of the pack on the throne and makes their social customs law in your life.

You cannot serve God and man. You must decide who you will set your intention – your gaze – on… whose customs you will follow. And that will determine your outcome.

At the start of many negative outcomes is a desire to be popular – to be accepted by man. What I have been asked to do in my life to be accepted is defiling – a bending, even a breach, of integrity and a betrayal of self. I will not serve man. I will not take the bait or tilt to the manipulation anymore.

I look at Daniel from the Bible, who would not eat the king’s food because of a conviction and honor to God. Some would ask, “Why not just eat the food? You eat food any way!” Daniel felt convicted. He knew in his heart it was manipulation and that it would defile him.

Daniel knew that fear would give way to sin if answered. And he would not, could not make the king an idol. He would not, could not put anything or anyone on the throne but God Himself. And so, while it may seem like a small concession, it would mean betraying his heart and turning his back on his spiritual convictions, and he would not do that. A heavy price was on the line — his life, but God saw, protected and spared Daniel for obeying him.

When we put Jesus on the throne — Jesus and only Jesus – and not the fear of man, we will most certainly be asked to make concessions by man. They may even ask, “What’s the big deal?” or question why. But you do not answer to man. And you do not have to. You are not obligated to. And knowing this — that you are not obligated to man — is exactly the point.

“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

I will serve God only, and I will listen to my conscience as I make decisions. And it may not make sense to others. It might mean I will not gain friendships – even lose some. But I only want what God has marked out for me. And I want no time wasted, appeasing or making concessions for the sake of popularity, as I learned in college (and even since), that in the end… no one will stand by you. Shirk one demand and you are alone, feeling drained and devoid of integrity.

But when I have set my intention on God and have followed His lead, I have felt brave, fulfilled and bare much fruit. And I would rather have one or two good friends who support me in my walk with the Lord and respect my convictions than a crowd of strangers who brand me with temporary approval.

Prayer: God, Help me to chase after you. Help me set my gaze and my intention on you. And may it never wain. With every decision to make, may I hear your voice guiding me louder than the scoffers. And give me the courage and the clarity to follow you each day — to walk the unique and distinct path you have called for my life.

God, You have never, ever failed me. In the rearview, I see now that what felt like loss along the way was your hand of protection. You are Lord of my life, and I give you the reigns. May your voice always be clearer and louder than fear. And may I choose to follow YOUR voice all the days of my life.

Thank you, Father, for loving me and giving me confidence-for giving me companionship, and for protecting me from idols and distractions. In Jesus’ name, Amen.