Uncompromised

Poking the Wound: When God Heals What Lies Beneath If you’ve known me for any length of time, you’ve probably heard me talk about “poking the wound.” Years ago, because of my autoimmune disease, I developed a wound on my left leg. It was tiny, just the size of a penny, but it would not heal. Because of immunosuppressants, my body stayed dormant, unresponsive to the injury. My husband took me to a wound doctor, and they taught us how to clean and care for it, but it wasn’t enough. My body wasn’t reacting. Then the doctor explained something I’ll never forget: the wound had to be poked. Unless it was stirred, my body would not recognize it as something that needed healing. So day after day, we poked it. At times it looked worse before it looked better, but it was the only way to stimulate the body’s God-designed response to heal. Eventually, it closed completely. That picture has become such a spiritual truth for me. Because as believers, we can live faithfully, attending church, studyin...

  “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:18) Look around. It feels like a horror movie we cannot turn off. The news reads like satire, yet the satire is reality. The lie of “my truth” has taken root in hearts, and the coldness is shocking.  Tragedy becomes celebration, sin is worn as pride, and lives without Christ beat empty, hopeless, meaningless. And it is not only out there. In some churches, cold hearts have crept in. Smiles and polite words hide bitterness, envy, and pride. Words reveal the heart. Fruit reveals the tree. "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit" (Matthew 12:33). The urgency is real. There is no time for lukewarm hearts, complacent speech, or shallow faith. Every word, every action, every fruit matters. We cannot grow numb o...

  Start Here: Letting the Word Dwell Deeply in Real Life This morning I was meditating on Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” There’s so much beauty in that verse. It’s poetic, rich, full of community and worship and grace. And yet, when I read it, part of me also whispered, “Lord, I want this… but some days it feels so far from my reality.” Let’s be honest. We’re living in a time of constant noise and busyness. There’s always something to do, something to respond to. A constant moment of stopping and checking, “Am I forgetting anything?” Even when we want to sit down with the Word, our phones buzz, our minds wander, and our to-do lists scream louder than the pages in front of us. I’m not an anxious person, but I can be impatient. I like things to move, even if it’s slowly, I want to see growth, progress, directi...

  Dear Sisters,    I pray this note finds you resting in God’s presence, even in the middle of your busy days. I’ve been reflecting on something I would like to share with you, especially for those of you walking through difficult seasons. As we face trials, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but we’re reminded in James 1:2-5 that these moments aren’t wasted by God. The apostle James says: “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:2-5) At first glance, it can feel impossible to consider joy in the middle of a trial. But James is reminding us that God uses those very trials to shape us. When life feels heavy, we can trus...

Isn’t it absolutely awe-inspiring that while people often look at our outward appearance—our flaws, failures, or even the messiness of our lives—God sees our hearts? He doesn’t judge us by what the world values, but instead, He looks deeper, beyond the surface, and sees us for who we truly are. 1 Samuel 16:7 says: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.’” This truth has been on my heart all week as I’ve talked with a few friends who are going through incredibly difficult seasons. They’ve been misjudged, hurt by others, or weighed down by the feeling that no one sees or truly understands them. It reminded me of times in my own life when I felt unseen or unfairly judged. Sometimes it’s hard to face situations like gossip, lies, or backstabbing, but these actions often reflect the condition of the person’s heart. Matthew 12:34...

El Roi: The God Who Sees Me  Life feels heavy sometimes, doesn’t it? Disappointment, grief, betrayal—they press down on us, making it hard to take the next step. Some of the deepest wounds come from those we trust most. People we cherished and believed in can turn against us, creating false narratives that feel impossible to untangle. And yet, I know I’m not alone in this. These past few weeks, my heart has carried much. They’re the kind of burdens I used to share with my mom. We’d pray together, and she always had a timely word from the Lord—a verse to meditate on, a prayer to lift me up. But she’s not here anymore, and oh, how I miss her. She knew me well. She knew my husband well. She knew our hearts and loved us deeply. That kind of love is rare, and I don’t take it for granted. While the world looks at the exterior, God looks at the heart. “Man does not see what the LORD sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). He is always seeking hear...

Can We Talk About This? Why is it that believers can sometimes be so harsh with one another? Have you noticed that when a believer makes a mistake, it often feels like a little gang of “perfect” people comes after them with vengeance? This self-righteous response reveals a heart issue. Instead of being quick to extend grace, we become fixated on the faults of others while ignoring our own. Yet Scripture reminds us: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:9-10). Many unchurched people I’ve spoken with have shared stories of being hurt or disappointed—often by fellow Christians. That pain is real, and I don’t dismiss it. At the same time, we know our ultimate hope isn’t in people but in Christ alone. You’ve probably seen the phrase, “If you left the church because of people, you were never there for Jesus.” While there’s some truth ...

  The best friends we can have are those who pray for you without needing to be asked. They defend you when you’re not around, and with them, gossip comes to a dead stop. I always remind my son that God sends us different types of friends. Some are seasonal—friends who enter your life for a time, sharing laughter, love, and memories. As seasons change, so do our lives, and sometimes these friends are led down a different path. Though life may take us in separate directions, they will always hold a piece of your heart. These friends are special, and we often wish they could stay forever. Then there are lifelong friends. Even if years pass without seeing each other, when you reconnect, it’s as if no time has passed at all! As I grow older, I realize one of the most precious gifts God has given me is my "God-connected" friends—those who sense when you need prayer, even when you haven’t spoken a word. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve prayed for someone, only to receive a me...

  Today, when a close friend asked me what I miss the most (places not people), it got me thinking and almost choking up. Sometimes, what we long for seems small, but it matters.  At first, I wasn't sure how to answer because it felt kind of silly. But then, I decided to be honest. In the midst of all my thoughts and feelings, the struggle to feel content and believe I'm where God wants me to be felt very real.  That's when I remembered Philippians 4:6-7, which says, "Do not 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." This verse reminds me that even in my longing for something as simple as a cozy coffee shop – you know, the kind with a soothing ambiance, a beautiful view, and the aroma of freshly brewed good quality coffee – I can trust that I'm exactly where God intend...