Category: Encouragement

the light of the world

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
– John 8:12

Did you dread the dark as a child?? I did. I hated the dark . . . .

What is it about the dark that we find fearful?? There are layers of answers, but some of them, I believe, is that we often fear what we cannot see and we are scared of what the dark can hide. As a child, the imagination of what COULD be hiding in the dark is what I feared most (no matter how unreasonable it sounded, there could be a monster under the bed, a robber downstairs, or a ghost in the closet. . . you know how it goes)

While I am no longer a little girl afraid of the dark, I still find myself fearful of what I cannot see, what could be hiding, and what could be.

In the light we are able to see what IS, what is NOT, and things can be easily identified. But at night?? We are no longer able to distinguish or discern because the darkness blinds our eyes and distorts our ability to judge.

It is the same spiritually — in the Bible, God speaks to us over and over about the effects of sin, living in this dark world, and the contrast between light and darkness.

Before sin, there was nothing to fear in the darkness, but when sin entered so did spiritual death and blindness. We are born into sin and enter a world that is dark and broken because of sin.

What happens as we grow in this sinful world? We discover that the darkness that we once feared can be used as a cover to hide what we do not want to be known. We become comfortable in the darkness. God says that what is done in darkness is fruitless and that people love the darkness over the light:

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,
but rather expose them.”
– Ephesians 5:11

“And this is the condemnation,
that the Light has come into the world,
& men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.”
– John 3:19

When we recognize our spiritual darkness, acknowledge and confess our sin, and accept Jesus’ death as the sacrifice for our sin we are moved from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died, and rose again so we could be saved from the darkness of sin and death. That good news will never grow old!!!

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness
& conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love”
– Colossians 1:13

“for at one time you were darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Walk as children of light“
– Ephesians 5:11

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. 
Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armor of light.”
– Romans 13:12

To me, one of the most beautiful and comforting names that Jesus calls Himself is: “THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD” (John 9:5 & 18:12)

That means there is nothing to fear in Jesus.

“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear…” Hebrews 13:6

He has nothing to hide.

“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God” Colossians 1:15
“Anyone who has seen Me [Jesus] has seen the Father.” John 14:9

He can be fully trusted.

“God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5

While there are things that I may never understand because His ways and thoughts are higher (Isaiah 55:8-9), I know that I can trust Him because He sees what I cannot and He knows what I do not know.

The Bible says that we walk by FAITH and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) — so we cannot be dependent on our eyes or reasoning to determine where the Lord is guiding and leading. We must depend on Him, follow Him, and trust Him by faith.

Even while all around us is darkness, and we may not be able see where the next step will lead, we do not have to stumble in the darkness, full of fear, because He is the light.

I do not have to know the way,
because I’m following THE ONE who DOES.

When a child is fearful, the one thing that can immediately dispel any worry is the presence of a parent, grandparent, or someone trusted. The security of having someone by their side, protecting them, and comforting them far outweighs what was previously causing fear, even if the darkness doesn’t change. Jesus is with you and He has promised to never leave or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

He is our light in this dark world.
He is the One we can trust when we can’t see the way.
He is the One we can follow because He knows the way.
He is the One who will walk with you through the dark.

Let Him dispel your fear with His marvelous light.


“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts
of Him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”
– 1 Peter 2:9

“The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.”
– 1 John 1:5

“For you are all children of light, children of the day.
We are not of the night or of the darkness.”
– 1 Thessalonians 5:5

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
– James 1:7


“I have come as a light into the world,
that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.”
John 12:46

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God saw that the light was good,
– Genesis 1:3

where is my mind?

“If then you were raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ is,
sitting at the right hand of God.
SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE,
not on things on the earth.”
– Colossians 3:1-2

God’s Word guides and instructs us to SET our minds on things above — but, honestly, it is so easy for my mind to be focused on the things of this earth . . . things that are temporary, ever-changing, and chaotic. Things we chase like success, independence, status, social media, relationships, collecting stamps in a passport or tacks on a map . . . they are things that are not bad in themselves, but when they are idolized or become the goal of our pursuits, they cause our eyes to turn from Christ and onto focus on earthly things.

Seeking and setting our minds on things above it is not a “one-and-done” thing — it’s a daily, hourly, and moment-by-moment thing.

When I am focused on the things of earth, things going on around me *or emotions going on inside of me,* I will be tossed to and fro (Eph 4:14), consumed with myself, and unstable in all my ways (James 1:7-8). But when I SET my mind on the things above – where Christ is – then I have a steady, faithful, and stable foundation for all my thoughts and emotions to land. Everything gets filtered through a heavenly and eternal perspective.

Sometimes God allows our external circumstances to remain the same so He can change us internally. HE can transform everything inside of us, while nothing around us is different.

But is it enough to just “discipline ourselves into” setting our minds on things above? Or is it something that we are left to do on our own? In our own strength?
Thankfully, and by God’s grace, no! God’s Word tells us that He TRANSFORMS and RENEWS our hearts and minds through the power of His Holy Spirit and by His Word.

“And do not be conformed to this world, 
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2

“I will give you a new heart
and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you
your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh.”
Ezekiel 36:26 

Apart from Jesus, I am helpless to love Him with all my mind. He must give me the love because I am incapable of producing His agape love on my own — it only comes from Him.

“You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind.”
– Deuteronomy 6:5

There are also some very practical & deliberate choices we can make to fix our minds on things above…

As an example — when I find myself struggling with comparison, wrestling with being content, focusing on myself, dwelling on insecurities, replaying a past hurt or memory, complaining, feeling anxious, worried, frustrated, or spiritually empty or drained *the list can go on and on!* I go before the Lord, examine my heart, and ask myself the questions below:

– What have I been listening to?
– What have I been watching?
– What have I been reading?
– What have I found my mind dwelling on in moments of stillness?

As I answer those questions, He usually reveals what has lead me to that place and reminds me to fix my mind back on Him.

You know what one of the hardest things about our minds & thoughts is? They’re hidden.

Growing up (and even now!), my dad always asked us: “what are you thinking?” instead of “how are you feeling?” because he knew that our emotions change frequently but our thoughts determine what our actions will be. You know what though? When he would ask that question we had the choice to be HONEST about what we were thinking, or to conceal what we were thinking . . . and the same is true today when God asks us, “What are you thinking?” or “What are you fixing your thoughts and setting your mind on?” — we can either hide in shame OR be completely honest.

It’s easy to hide our thoughts and even to deceive ourselves by not acknowledging our own harmful, disobedient, and ungodly thoughts. But we must humbly come before God in and lay our hearts bare. When we do that, we allow His light to shine in the dark, hidden crevices of our minds and His light brings hope and healing.

“The night is far gone; the day is at hand.
So then let us cast off the works of darkness
and put on the armor of light.” – Romans 13:12

We will never be able to fix our minds on things above until we recognize and remove the things that are distracting us from Him and hindering us from seeing Him. As long as we fail to confront and expose the things we’ve allowed to stay hidden, we will remain stuck. Many choose to remain in the darkness and continue to carry shame because they fear being exposed. But the very thing that you’re afraid of is the very thing that can lead to your healing, and as we seek to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” our thoughts will begin to reflect His.

“Time itself does not heal, but it does give us opportunity to heal.” –Briana Swann

Did you know that the Bible says that our minds can put us on a path leading to death or on a path leading to LIFE & PEACE?!?! Romans 8:5-6 says: “…those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life & peace.“

What if, at the end of every day, we were able to see a visual (haha – like a pie graph or something) of our thoughts? What percentage would be consumed with things of earth and what percentage on things ABOVE? What we think about ultimately determines our future, and while our thoughts are hidden, WE DO SEE THE ACTIONS & EFFECTS of our thoughts: every word we speak and action we make begins as a thought in our mind. That’s why God cares so deeply and speaks so frequently about our mind and our thoughts in His word.

He cares, and places great importance on our thoughts, and so should we.


“Your mind is the greatest gift God has given you
& it ought to be devoted entirely to Him.”
-OSWALD CHAMBERS


“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face,
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.”

“Let the words of my mouth
& the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength & my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 
“You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.
Trust in the Lord forever,
For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”
Isaiah 26:3-4

He’s not finished.

The LORD will
PERFECT
that which concerns me.

Jesus WILL perfect—complete, fulfill, finish, accomplish—what is concerning me. What is concerning you. Psalm 138:8 says:

“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me;
Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”

Doesn’t that bring such comfort and peace?! What you’re doing may seem insignificant to you. Where you are may feel purposeless; but do not grow weary and don’t be discouraged — nothing is wasted when God is working.

God knows exactly what is concerning you, what is on your mind, and what weighs heavy on your heart. If He knows every single hair on your head and He knows the number of sands on the shore, certainly He is aware and in control of what is troubling you.

He has not forgotten about you.
He is not finished with your story.
When it feels like He’s put the pen down and walked away.
When you don’t know when the next chapter will start. . .
. . . do not lose hope and do not lose heart.

Because He “is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure.” (2 Cor. 4:17) May we be able to say, with the Psalmist: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8


3He will not let your foot be moved;
 he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
Psalm 121

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect & complete, lacking nothing.”
– James 1:4

“being confident of this very thing: that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ”
-Philippians 1:6

t w e n t y – t w e n t y

This is a bit of late-Christmas, New Year, and 2020 reflection post all mixed into one...

When I think back to what life looked like on December 31, 2019 it feels almost like a different lifetime.

This time last year, like at the beginning of most years, people began setting goals, making resolutions, and declaring what they envisioned for the year. 2020 was “deemed” the year of vision (20/20 haha) and many chose vision as their “word of the year.”

With blind hope and naive expectations we looked forward to 2020, not knowing what would come 3 months in…

Some of the most unexpected events began to unravel faster than we could process or comprehend and it was like time stood still, or maybe we just stood still, while the world spiraled out of control around us.

And, although everything in the world was so chaotic, within me there was a great calm (not always, but mostly) as I was constantly reminded of the promises in God’s Word telling me that He is not surprised, He is in control and He has not forsaken me.

This year my hopes look different and my prayers have changed as I approach January 1, 2021. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever look at New Years the same. I won’t speak presumptuously about the future, as Proverbs 27:1 says: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

There have been jokes made about people rashly pronouncing 2020 to be “their year” and we’ve recognized how foolish our attempts are to predict and define what we have no control over. If I could choose 1 word to sum up the past 365 days I would say: “humbling.”

I am aware, now more than ever, of how not in control I am. “God is in control” is something that can easily come from my lips but I can continue living like I still have some “say” or control over my day-to-day life.

I am weak. Frail. Incapable. I stand only by the mercy and grace of my Savior.
I don’t have accurate words to hold the weight of loss, trauma, and suffering this year brought for so many.
My heart breaks for those who have lost loved ones.
Those who couldn’t plan or attend memorial services.
Those who took their lives this year because the anxiety, isolation, & fear were no longer bearable.
Those who lost their jobs.
Those who began to cry the moment they could hug their loved one or hold their hand after months of distance and separation. And for those who still wait for that moment.
Those who were separated from spouses and children because they’re medical workers and wanted to keep them healthy.
For the front line workers who are still enduring and processing the unimaginable trauma of caring for people struggling to breathe in a war-zone like ICU.

As spring turned into summer, summer into fall, and fall into winter. . . with came Christmas along with the songs and decorations. . . but it wasn’t the same, the underlying grief and sorrow couldn’t be ignored.

And yet life is often like that. Joy and sorrow each held in one hand. Times of gathering causes the empty seat to feel even emptier. Those who are not there are missed with more ache. Our hearts break all the more and we feel the absence even deeper. Joy mingled with sorrow is a paradox hard to comprehend and even harder embrace.

This year I could not escape the fact that the events surrounding Christmas-time seemed to more closely parallel the time when Jesus was born: a world that is broken, sinful, & weary. People who are lost, hurting, sick, fearful, and suffering.

Jesus chose to be born into and experience a world of conflict, sickness, disease, sin, brokenness, oppression, poverty, hurt, injustice, political unrest, and religious tension. He came. He didn’t guard Himself or choose comfort. As God He could’ve picked to be born at ANYtime, ANYwhere, with ANY status, or ANY amount of wealth imaginable . . . And He chose a manger.

He was the hope for a weary world.
But not in the way they were expecting.

“A thrill of Hope, the weary world rejoices.”

“This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one & only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that He loved us
and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
-1 John 4:9-10

Nothing speaks more of humility than God clothing Himself in humanity, becoming a baby, being born in a manager, and living to die for the sin of the world; for my sin, for your sin. God became the greatest example of meekness and humility; so why are we surprised when He leads us into circumstances that will produce humility in us? Maybe we’ve been so consumed with our prideful boasting of what we presume God’s will to be that we have lost sight of one of the most precious things that He wants to produce in us: humility and obedience.

“Jesus Christ possessed more true greatness in a stable
than any other king ever possessed in a palace.
Infinite & an infant,
O the wonder of Christmas!”
– Charles Spurgeon

Philippians 2:3-8
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit,
but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
Have this mind among yourselves,
which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,
though He was in the form of God,
did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death, even death on a cross.”


Throughout this year I have heard and have also (selfishly and regrettably) began sentences by saying: “When things go back to normal __fill in the blank__….”
Presuming and expecting that life will “go back to normal” because we crave the comfort of the familiar (even if it’s ungodly or unhealthy). . . but while we say we want “things to go back to before” we forget that trials and pain like this have a way of changing us forever. They leave their imprints and marks. We have scars and lessons learned.

A year like 2020 will challenge, stretch, and grow you faster than you imagined possible. Maybe you’ve felt like you’ve been holding your breath, surviving, just waiting and longing for a sense of “normal” again. Maybe you feel like you’ve made no progress, haven’t grown, or have nothing to show for this year. . . maybe you feel like you’ve wasted time and have no idea how beauty will come from the ashes. Maybe the challenges and trials have taken the best from you and you’re at your lowest.

We are not the same people we were on 1/1/2020. Even if you don’t feel it, even if you feel like you’ve failed, or you feel ashamed of what this year made of you – this is not the end of your story! He is still working ALL things together for good for those who love Him and He is bringing about His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

We never could’ve predicted, prepared, or planned for a year like this. . . looking back at 2020 and ahead at 2021 I am humbled and prayerful, desiring to trust the Lord no matter what may come…because if 2020 taught me anything; it taught me to cherish every moment, every person, and every circumstance, even the painful ones, because each moment is a blessing and the next one isn’t promised. And if, by His will, the next moment does come, I have absolutely no clue what it may bring. The one thing I know for certain is that: HE WILL BE THERE, “for He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you‘” Hebrews 13:5.

James 4:13-16
“Come now, you who say:
‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city…’
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Instead you ought to say,
“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
But now you boast in your arrogance.
All such boasting is evil.”