Luke 14:28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? I have dreams brewing inside of me. The cost to pursue them is high. I'd have to let go of a lot of comforts and the known to follow these dreams. What if I fail? That thought rings over and over in my mind. I could go all in, knowing the cost of giving it my all and completely fail. Would it be worth it? God says yes. Some of the best thin

Last night, I dreamt I was at church, waiting for service to start. My heart was heavy and I was filled with shame for a sin that I committed. The service started and my pastor began to preach but then stopped suddenly and said she could not go on; something was wrong. I knew in my heart it was me. She exits to leave, but stops again and starts preaching from the aisle. She moves through each pew. Suddenly, she stops in front of me. It feels as if a lead ball is sitting in m

I've been settled in my apartment for 5 years and Fresno for over 6 years. I've come a long way. Prior to coming back here, I was a nomad. Some of it I had no choice; I grew up poor and often we'd have to find new housing every 1 to 2 years. I lived a life in boxes and suitcases, prepared to be uprooted at any moment. When I became an adult, I vowed to be finacially stable so I could settle in one spot. After college living, which involves a lot of moving from dorm rooms, to

Wait. You guys, this is not my favorite word. This word sets limits and boundaries that I want to crush. I don't wait well. I am a do-it-now type of person. I want things to happen on my timing, because my ideas and my plans are best, right? Wrong! In my walk with God, I've learned a lot about waiting. Waiting for healing from a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Waiting for a spouse. Waiting for the perfect writing job. Waiting for the perfect house. In all my waiting, I've learned t

“You have to get closer to the edge to start rappelling.” I had a death grip on my rope and belay device. My instructor, Rainbow Weinstock, was trying to encourage me that I was safe. I had spent the last three hours climbing up the side of a mountain and it was total bliss. Now that I had to get down, and the only way down was rappelling off the edge of a high cliff, total bliss was consumed by total fear. I have a terrible fear of heights and falling. Why would I pick this

Hi friends! Here is book two in my fiction review- The Girl Behind the Red Rope, by Ted Dekker and Rachelle Dekker. I absolutely loved reading this book, and even read it again right after I finished it. Ted and Rachelle, you guys have created a fantastic piece of fiction. I wasn't expecting to love it this much. This book I will share with my friends and family as a must-read. There is so much you can learn for yourself reading this book and apply to your own life, yet this

Hi friends! This week on the blog, we're going to take a look at two fiction pieces. I gotta say, I am appreciating these book reviews more and more; I have found so many wonderful authors this way that I would have never discovered on my own. And, I love supporting other Christian authors and sharing their books with my friends. First up, The Words Between Us by Erin Bartles. Erin, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book. You've got a new fan! Heads up, I received these books

Hi friends! Here is the second book in the trifecta: Always We Begin Again, by Leeana Tankersley. I'm going to do this review a little differently and share a bit about my life and starting over. I'm not a fan of starting over. For the first 33 years of my life, I was constantly starting over. I grew up very poor and was often homeless. I craved stability and having roots. I envied my friends who had their own room or never had to move. I hated being constantly uprooted. When

Hi friends! I'm back with another trifecta of book reviews for you! Today I am reviewing Take Back Your Time by Morgan Tyree. To be completely honest with you guys, I struggle with organization. It is probably one of my biggest weaknesses. I am a master of organized chaos: piles of paper, sticky notes everywhere, bins filled with things I plan to organize later. Organization really overwhelms me and when I get too overwhelmed- I just throw things away. I am always looking for

Hi friends! I got a little click happy when requesting books to review for Revell Reads. So instead of 1-2 books, I got to read SEVEN books!!! Oops! Thankfully, only 3 were due for this month and I've only got two more left to read of the 7 I requested. It has been so fun to read all these books and find new authors to follow. So without further ado, I introduce you to my first read: Backroads to Belonging; Unexpected Paths to Finding your Place and Your People by Kirsten Str

Hi Friends! This month's review is a fiction piece, Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker. Shawn, you've got yourself a new follower. Your book was beyond fun to read. Heads up: I receive these books each month for free in exchange for my honest review. I receiver no other compensation other than the chance to read new books...which I LOVE! About the Author: Shawn Smucker is known for the young adult novels: The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There. He's also

Hi friends! This is my third book review from Revell Reads. This month I picked: When You Need to Move a Mountain: Keys to Praying with Power by Linda Evans Shepherd. Heads up: I receive these books each month for free in exchange for my honest review. I receiver no other compensation other than the chance to read new books...which I LOVE! Who is Linda Evans Shepherd: Known as the Prayer Lady, Linda Evans Shepherd is all about embracing the heart of God and sharing the import