Uncompromised

  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...

Good Friday: The Depth of His Love Sisters, Today is Good Friday, a day that brings a quiet weight to our hearts. It’s the kind of day that makes us slow down and sit still, even when our minds want to run ahead to Easter Sunday. But today is meant to be different. Set apart. A day to remember the cost. I woke up this morning thinking about the Cross, not in a theological way (though that matters deeply), but in a personal way. As a wife, a mom, a ministry partner, a woman trying to hold it all together most days, I needed to be reminded that Jesus carried more than just a wooden beam up that hill. He carried me. He carried you . He carried our brokenness, our shame, our guilt, our exhaustion, our tears cried behind closed doors. Every betrayal, every anxiety, every time we’ve felt unseen or misunderstood—He bore it all. Silently. Willingly. Lovingly. Isaiah 53:4 says, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Not just the sin, but the grief. The sorrow . The heavi...

When You Feel Like You're Not Enough Wow, it’s been exactly two months since my last post! Things have been pretty busy around here, but I’m excited to finally share an update with you all. I don’t know about you, but some days I feel like I’m constantly playing catch-up—with laundry, with relationships, and yep—studies too. It’s like no matter how early I wake up or how much I cross off the to-do list, there’s still this lingering weight. The house is never quiet long enough to think, the inbox keeps filling up, and I forget (again) to defrost the meat for dinner. And then by mid-afternoon, I start to hear that subtle whisper: You’re not doing enough.  Maybe you’ve heard it too. Lately, I’ve been unpacking and trying to make our new house feel like home. It’s been nonstop—boxes, tasks, and a scary health moment in between. Some days, I walk into the kitchen or living room and think, Okay, we’re getting somewhere. But then I step into our bedroom—and the boxes are still there. Hone...

I’m supposed to be non-stop packing, but here I am. As I pack, listening to music, this song came on, and I just had to share my heart. "Faithful Still" by KingsPorch —I’ve loved this song since last year, so it’s been with me for a while. Every time I hear it, my heart is reminded of what I already know but sometimes forget: God is faithful. He has never failed, and He never will. How often do we find ourselves wondering, Will God really come through this time? Maybe it’s an unanswered prayer, a painful loss, or a season of waiting that feels like it will never end. Our hearts know He is faithful, yet our circumstances whisper otherwise. But here’s the truth: God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our feelings or circumstances—it is anchored in His unchanging character. When we face trials, it can feel like we’re standing in front of an immovable mountain. Maybe it’s a health crisis, financial hardship, or a broken relationship that seems beyond repair. But Jesus tells us: ...

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...

We’ve had a couple of snow days here in southeastern Oklahoma, and let me tell you, snow in the South is a whole different experience than what we were used to in Massachusetts! Every time it snows, I remind my husband: “Snow days in the South are the best snow days.” Here’s why: the snow comes just long enough to sprinkle some joy into our lives. It accumulates just enough to play in, snap some beautiful pictures, make snow cream, and soak in the peaceful stillness that only a blanket of white can bring. And then—poof!—a couple of days later, it’s gone. No mushy, slushy, muddy mess sticking around for weeks, no grimy ice piles hanging on for dear life. We can just enjoy it for what it is and move on with our lives, snow-free and stress-free. This week, as I watched the snow, the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” kept running through my mind:  "Morning by morning new mercies I see;  All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,  Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me." It’s...

Fruit grows in the valleys Earlier today, a friend shared a post with a quote attributed to Billy Graham:  “Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.”  The words immediately intrigued me, making me pause to meditate on their meaning. Out of curiosity, I decided to fact-check whether Billy Graham actually said this. It turns out, he did! This quote is featured in  Quotes from Billy Graham: A Legacy of Faith  and has been referenced by his grandson, Will Graham, in a devotional on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's website. This discovery made me reflect deeply on the profound truth captured in the quote. As I turned to Scripture, it became clear how much this idea resonates with biblical teachings. - Mountaintops: A Glimpse of God’s Glory Moses on Mount Sinai received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20), a pivotal moment for Israel’s relationship with God. Elijah on Mount Carmel witnessed God’s power as fire consumed the a...