Category: Gems About Jesus

  • Prayers for the New Year

    Hello, tender friends! This is the prayer that came to me on the night of New Year’s Eve. This was just before falling asleep at 8:30 pm after a cup of chamomile tea, because that’s how I party on New Year’s. Here it is: May the plans of the enemy on your life be cancelled.…

  • Is it Uncomfortable, or is it Sin?

    Hello, tender friends! Someone from church, Cara, gave me permission to post this story of her missions trip to the Middle East. I have left the text unedited. If you have any questions, I will relay them to Cara. I think the takeaway of taking questions to the Holy Spirit to ask if something is…

  • Growing Up in Witchcraft

    Hello, tender friends! Someone at church Jessica, shared this testimony a while back, and I’ve wanted to share it here. I’ve left the author’s words unedited, but I wanted to share two things she told me when we spoke: Her words: This is a story of how a girl found hope, comfort, and truth. Just…

  • You’re Smarter Than You Think

    Hello, tender friends! God has highlighted this message to me recently:”You’re already qualified.” From a young age, I became complicit in limiting myself. I struggled with feeling like I didn’t know as much as other people or was innately stupid. This feeling was contradicted by every academic testing I ever participated in, but I dismissed…

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    Declaration: I Will Honor My Body’s Need for Balance

    Hello, tender friends! I did it again. I made the same mistake. The same stupid mistake I’ve made for years. I’ve done well the past two weeks at balancing my work with caring for Jacob and Anthony. Working a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays? It’s honestly not a problem when I’m working on the…

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    How Mini Breaks Got Me Through the Week

    Hello, tender friends ! Reading this book was a good reminder of how powerful mini breaks can be. My work week last week was significantly better because I was intentional about mini breaks. The stressors were exactly what I expected, but I ended the week feeling a lot better than I expected because of this…

  • 5 Ways I Pursue Intimacy with the Lord

    Hello, tender friends! People sometimes comment on my “intimacy with the Lord,” and someone (I’m talking about you, SanVercell!) commented on it on this forum a few weeks ago. Let me be clear: I don’t know that I agree that I have deep intimacy with the Lord. I think declaring that makes me sound like…

  • The Lemonade I Make When My Heart Breaks

    Hello, tender friends! Guess who started school this past week? Oh, and he already decided it’s not cool to pose with mom anymore. In the words of the singer from The Script, “When a heart breaks, no, it don’t break even.” On Jacob’s first day, the house was…quiet. I cried before he woke up and…

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    The Call to Stop Betraying My Biology

    Hello, tender friends! If you’re new here, 1) thank you for subscribing and 2) this is a follow up to this post. I’m still saying less, but it hasn’t become automatic yet. I continue to slip up. Anthony says, “We aim for progress, not perfection.” Friends (IRL) have asked why I think God called me…

  • What Happened When I Prayed for My Enemies

    Hello, tender friends! Let’s be honest: it’s hard to ask for a blessing for someone who’s wounded you. It requires dying to self, which is probably why Jesus lays its importance out so clearly in The Sermon on the Mount. He knew we wouldn’t want to do it. On really bad days I tell God…