Today, I wanted to share a simple, comforting meal inspired by foods that would have been common in Jesus’ time — not bread, not lentils, but fish, olives, herbs, figs, and honey. Foods from the Sea of Galilee region. Foods of everyday life.

There’s something about cold weather that makes us crave food that feels like a hug. Not a polite side hug… but a full, blanket-and-socks-and-you-don’t-have-to-talk kind of hug. Enter: chili. Faithful. Reliable. Always shows up when things get chilly — kind of like God, honestly. Whether you’ve had a long day, a long week, or a long season (you know the kind), this is the kind of meal that says: sit down, breathe, and let something warm you from the inside out.

There was a time when I never thought twice about what was in my makeup. If it smelled nice, worked well enough, and fit the budget, into the basket it went. I didn’t question ingredient lists I couldn’t pronounce, or why my skin felt irritated after using certain products. I didn’t connect my daily habits with my faith. But eventually, after 3-bouts of cancer between my teens and 20's, a quiet nudge began to surface. Not fear. Not guilt. Just awareness. As Christians, we’

One of the most beautiful truths of our faith is this: our Father in Heaven is a healer. Not distant. Not stingy with grace. Not waiting for us to get everything right first. He is close, compassionate, and deeply invested in our wholeness—body, mind, and spirit. “I am the Lord who heals you.” — Exodus 15:26 And here’s the part that often surprises people: through Jesus, we’ve been invited into that healing work ourselves. Wait, what? We can heal? Read more on healing.

BUYING WITH CARE What we put on our skin matters. What we clean our homes with matters. Who we choose to buy from matters. And yes—even what a product is called matters to me. I’m a reader. I’m a label-turner. I’m the person who wants to know what’s in it, where it comes from, and what the company stands behind. Is it good for me? For my family? For the planet? Not because I’m perfect or extreme, but because my faith and my values don’t clock out when I’m shopping.

Humility is often misunderstood. Many think it means shrinking yourself, downplaying your gifts, or walking quietly so no one notices you. But biblical humility is not about becoming smaller — it’s about becoming rightly aligned. To be humble is to know who you are because you know whose you are.

Gratitude has a way of softening the heart. It slows us down long enough to notice what has always been there—God’s steady hand, His quiet provision, His goodness woven into both the beautiful moments and the hard ones. Today, I’m writing from my heart about gratitude—not the polished, picture-perfect kind, but the daily, practiced, sometimes tear-filled kind that whispers, “Thank You, Father,” even when I don’t fully understand.

Yes! They appear in Scripture more than once. The most famous moment? Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of lentils. Genesis 25. Imagine being SO hungry you give away your family destiny for soup! (I get it… lentils are good, but Esau—buddy, choose a sandwich or something.)

Traditions aren’t always loud or elaborate. Sometimes they begin quietly and grow year by year. Maybe it’s a favorite dish passed down through generations, the way everyone joins hands before a meal to pray, or how someone always sneaks a bite of dessert before dinner (every family has that person). These steady little rituals give us roots. They remind us not just of where we come from—but who we belong to.

Some days, art flows like sunlight—easy, warm, and full of life. Other days, it’s like trying to paint with rainwater. You sit there, brush in hand, staring at the blank page or screen, and wonder where that spark went. I’ve been there more times than I can count. But what I’ve learned is this: creative block isn’t the end of your art. Sometimes, it’s the space God gives you to breathe, listen, and refill your cup.

When I picture Jesus sharing meals with His disciples, I think of the simple, wholesome foods of the land — fresh fish from the Sea of Galilee, figs picked from the tree, olives just pressed into oil… and always, always bread.

Let’s face it—we’ve all opened the fridge only to find a forgotten head of lettuce, now wilted and mushy. Or worse, tossed something out just because we weren’t sure if it was still good. We've also all brought home food wrapped in plastic that gets used once, then heads straight to the trash. It might seem small, but these everyday moments add up—to food waste, excess spending, and a growing environmental problem we can’t ignore.

I lost someone dear recently—a friend, a family member to many, my daughter’s cousin. His life was taken in a senseless act of violence during a robbery gone wrong. Just like that, a precious life cut short. His story should not have ended this way. There are no words that can wrap neatly around the ache that death leaves behind. When it happens in such a cruel way, it stings even more. Money. That’s what it came down to. Money—something so temporary—was valued over a huma

One of the most freeing truths in life is this: you and I were created with purpose, and the largest purpose is to glorify God. Every...

Have you ever sat in the quiet, wondering if God really hears you? Or maybe you’ve thought, I wish I could hear Him the way other people say they do. I know that feeling well. We want God to feel near, to speak clearly, to guide us like a loving Father. The beautiful truth is—He does. The question is often less about if He’s speaking and more about how we’re listening.

The word workmanship in the original Greek is poiēma—which is where we get our word poem. That means you are God’s unique poem, His one-of-a-kind masterpiece. And the cool part? He already wrote the plan for your life before you even got here.

Sometimes life feels like a race we weren’t fully prepared to run. We stumble, fall, get back up, and keep moving forward even when it feels like we’re walking through mud. And yet, through all the chaos, God’s hand is steady. His timing is never rushed, never delayed—it’s perfect. I’ve seen this truth play out in my own life, and maybe sharing a bit of my journey will encourage you not to give up on what God has planted inside you.

Temptation doesn’t always show up wearing red horns and carrying a pitchfork. Sometimes it’s dressed in a perfectly reasonable excuse, a harmless little “just this once,” or even a shiny opportunity that looks too good to be true (because… it is). The enemy is sneaky like that — he custom-tailors temptation so it fits just right for you.

Trust me when I say I love to sleep in, but there’s also something about stepping outside early in the morning—before the world fully...

Let’s talk about one of those big questions that can keep you up at night: “What does God want me to do with my life?”Or maybe more specifically:“What job should I take? Should I start something new? Am I doing the right thing?” If you've ever felt stuck, uncertain, or overwhelmed about your career or calling, you're not alone. It's easy to want a crystal-clear sign from heaven—a booming voice saying, "This is it!" But more often, God's direction comes through stillness