“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God….” -Isaiah 41:10
I still remember the day when performance anxiety became a thing for me. I’d been taking piano lessons since I was eight. Something about the piano clicked with meI from the beginning. I ate up the lessons and devoured all the music my teacher could find. In fifth grade, I… Read More »Tame Your Nerves: How to Overcome Performance Anxiety
What’s the first image that comes to your mind when someone asks you to envision someone who’s tough? Someone with lots of muscles, right? Like the guy who can beat anybody in an arm-wrestling competition, or the football player who can take any hit on the field and give it… Read More »Real Toughness Redefined: How to Develop a Strong Mind
How can you know God loves you? Pose that question to any good Christian and she’ll whip out John 3:16 and hand it to you with a flourish. “‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but… Read More »How to Really, Truly Know God Loves You
Jemma is a brilliant young woman, with stellar grades, a small group of close friends, and an enviable summer internship. But inside, she’s a jumble of doubt and insecurity. Her faith has been shaken by the unshakeable feeling that God simply isn’t as close as her Sunday school teachers always… Read More »Faith Over Feelings: 6 Biblical Truths For When You’re Down
Pride: the quality or state of being proud. Also one of the seven deadly sins, right up there with greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Proverbs 16:18 tells us pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Clearly, pride is a weed you don’t want taking root… Read More »16 Awesome Things Christian Teens Can Take Pride In
Like any longstanding group of people, Christians have their own vocabulary and overused phrases. Someone who comes to faith is said to be “born again.” A Christian who tells her coming-to-faith story is said to “give her testimony.” When it comes to sharing the good news of Jesus with non-believers,… Read More »The Battle’s Already Been Won . . . What Battle?
Many years ago, a bizarre incident happened in my hometown: A little boy went missing. I wasn’t there, but I imagine the parents searched high and low, calling his name with growing urgency and perhaps enlisting the help of neighbors and relatives. Eventually, law enforcement was contacted and the search… Read More »Seeking Jesus: Where is He Now?
What does it mean to fear God? Fear is a colossal stumbling block for Christians and non-Christians alike. It halts the achievement of dreams and diminishes faith, and because of this, fear has its own category in my blog. In No Fear: The Danger of Sin in Your Heart, I… Read More »Teens for Christ: What Does it Mean to Fear God?