The Courtroom of Heaven

When I was seventeen, I had to appear in court for the first time after a terrible car accident. As a lifelong rule-follower, I was so nervous that when the judge called me forward, I blurted out “Your Highness” instead of “Your Honor.”

For years, that moment summed up how I imagined standing before God. I pictured the heavenly courtroom through the lens of guilt, shame, and the fear of doing something wrong before a holy Judge. But a few years ago, while reading Romans 8, the Lord gave me a different picture.

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A Religious Spirit

Did anyone else spend years doubting their salvation? Wondering if they were really good enough to be saved?

The other night, I was reading in Scripture about the men from Judea who were teaching new believers that, “Unless you are circumcised, you cannot be saved.” And I realized that’s how a religious spirit works.

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Love Outruns

There’s a passage of Scripture in John 20 that always makes me laugh. It’s when Mary goes to tell Simon Peter and John that the stone on the tomb had been removed, and verses 3-4 say, “So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.”

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An Open (Honest) Letter to Christian Girls

If you are a Christian girl or woman who is struggling—or has struggled—with guilt, shame, identity, or addiction, then this letter was written specifically for you. I believe that testimonies break chains. Scripture says we defeat the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the power of our testimony (Revelation 12:11). So, I pray that my testimony can be an encouragement and a blessing. If nothing else, know that regardless of the nature of your struggle, you are not alone and shame is a chain that doesn’t belong on your shoulders.

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For the Mom Who is Drowning

I watch you glance at the clock. Because for now, life runs on time. And your days just don’t seem to have enough. It’s time for a bath and bed, and it’s okay when you feel guilty that you’re glad. I give you just enough energy to make it through the splashes and tantrums. And I hear every word you softly sing over her. I am already answering those prayers for her. Mama, you just wait to see what I do in her life.
Your to-do list is almost complete. And even after all of that, you still come meet me on the couch. I understand that you can barely hold your eyes open, but Mama, my Truth is just the refreshment you need. My Word is the energy you need to love hard tomorrow. And all I need you to do it open it. I’ll do the rest. And I’ll give you rest.
You did more Kingdom work today than you will ever know, sweet Mama.
And you will never know how proud I am of you.
—“Dear Working Mama” by Jessica Satterfield (excerpt)

Three years ago, as a brand new mom in the throes of postpartum depression, I gulped these words down like they were water for my parched soul. Over and over again, I would go back and forth between these words and His Word. My whole life I had been an over-achiever, and it was devastating to not live up to my own expectations. Continue reading “For the Mom Who is Drowning”