by Emma Dotter | Sep 14, 2026 | College, Featured, Hope, Life Advice, LO Library, Perspective, Sisterhood, Sisterhood & Community, Testimonies
Heading into the Live Original Conference, I was honestly a little bummed.
I’m an LO Ambassador, and I’d been so excited for the weekend! But as conference got closer, I realized some of the girls I’m closest to weren’t going to be there. Then, right before the weekend, the friend I was supposed to share a hotel room with had to cancel. It was for a good reason, and I completely understood. But still, it meant I was heading into the weekend by myself. And I think that made what God showed me over the next few days even sweeter.
Live Original has always painted the picture of being a good sister and friend. So even though the theme of this year’s conference was A Thrill of Hope, I found myself thinking about that original vision in a new way: What’s the thrill of friendship? What does it actually look like to be a good sister and a good friend?
For me, one answer kept showing up repeatedly: honesty.
Friendship Gets Deeper When We Get Honest.
Not long after I arrived at conference, I met another ambassador. We hadn’t known each other long at all, perhaps an hour or two, but as I started asking questions and getting to know her, she was remarkably honest with me.
She didn’t give me the polished version of her life. Instead, she opened up about some of the things that were genuinely challenging and disheartening. Within minutes of meeting, I knew parts of her story that would’ve been much easier to keep hidden.
And almost instantly, I felt closer to her. We were friends.
Later, during one of the messages, there was an opportunity for people to identify if they wanted prayer, and my new friend did. Because she’d already been honest with me, I knew exactly what to pray for.
Rewind the clock—If she hadn’t initially been that honest, I still would’ve been kind to her. We still would’ve talked. We certainly would’ve still had fun, and I absolutely would still have prayed for her. But I couldn’t have prayed for her in the same way, because I wouldn’t have known what was really going on.
That’s one of the risks of pretending that we’re fine. People might like us, but we don’t actually let them love the real us—the sinful us.
James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” And there’s something powerful about that order: Confession. Prayer. Healing.
God designed us to be honest with him and with one another. We weren’t meant to carry everything alone . . . even our sin.
Honesty Takes Faith.
Sadie modeled this well! She taught from 1 Kings 17 and 18 and talked about how easy it is for us to become numb to waiting. We live in a world where we can get almost anything instantly. We want an answer, so we Google it. We’re bored, so we scroll. We don’t know something, or we don’t want to take the time to do something, so we ask AI.
We’ve gotten comfortable with immediate answers. That’s probably why we’ve also lost some of the thrill of hope. But Sadie made a point that stuck with me: when you already know the outcome, there’s no need for faith.
Ouch.
And yes, she definitely read my mail when she started talking about ChatGPT. But what I loved most was that she didn’t teach the point from a distance. She confessed that she was still wrestling with it too. She even shared that when she told Christian about her message, he challenged her; because she hadn’t deleted ChatGPT herself.
Sadie could’ve left that part out.
It would’ve made her seem more like the subject matter expert. Might’ve made her look more put together.
But instead, she told the truth!
I was so proud of her, because honesty doesn’t mean we only tell people about the struggles we’ve already conquered. Sometimes honesty sounds like, “God is teaching me this right now, and I’m still learning how to live it out.” That kind of honesty makes me trust someone more, not less.
Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.” God delightsin truth. He isn’t asking us to create a version of ourselves that looks impressive to everyone else. He wants us to walk faithfully with him, even when that means admitting we don’t have it all together.
You Can Be Grateful and Still Be Struggling.
I saw the same thing when Makayla and Lulu shared. Makayla was honest about where she was emotionally. She talked about how even that very day, the day she was speaking onstage at the Live Original Conference, life was still hard.
That really struck me.
From the outside, it’d be easy to look at her life and think, “Look at everything God is doing!” She’s onstage. She’s sharing her story. She’s influencing people. She’s backstage with leaders we all look up to. She gets to wear the cute outfit and be part of this amazing weekend.
And yet, she was able to stand there and say, essentially, “Yes, I’m grateful to be here. And yes, life is still hard.” Both can be true.
I think sometimes we incorrectly assume honesty means we’re ungrateful. Or that honesty means were immature. Or we think that if God is doing something good, we aren’t allowed to acknowledge what isn’t.
But Scripture never asks us to fake it.
The Psalms are full of people telling God exactly how they feel. They’re afraid. Confused. Angry. Lonely. Hopeful. Grateful. Sometimes all those emotions within just a few verses.
God can handle our honesty. And good friends give us space to practice it.
Be the Kind of Sister Who Tells the Truth.
By the end of the weekend, I realized God had answered my disappointment about coming alone in a way I didn’t expect. I walked into conference wishing some of my closest friends were there. But I walked away better understanding how God orchestrates friendship in the first place.
Friendship isn’t solely built by spending a lot of time together. It isn’t solely built by having the same interests, taking cute pictures, or by being in the same group chat. Real sisterhood requires truth. There’s a risk that comes with being honest, especially with someone new. You don’t know exactly how they’ll respond. You don’t know if the friendship will last beyond the weekend. But we also don’t know what God might do with the conversation. We must give up the control we think we have, step into the unknown, and trust God to provide the friends we need.
Maybe that’s an example of the thrill Sadie talked about. We don’t have to know exactly how God is going to provide before we trust that he will. Sometimes, we get to walk into a conference alone, sit next to someone we don’t know, tell the truth about our lives, and wait to see what God does next. Real sisterhood requires honesty with believing sisters.
Colossians 3:9 tells us, “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices.”
Following Jesus should make us people who tell the truth. (Which includes telling the truth about ourselves.) Consider asking yourself a few honest questions:
- Do the girls closest to me genuinely know how I’m doing?
- When someone asks how I am, do I always say “good” because it’s easier?
- Do I let people know what I specifically need prayer for? Or keep it general?
- Am I willing to admit when I’m struggling with the very thing I’m encouraging someone else to do?
- Am I growing as the kind of friend who makes it safe for someone else to be honest?
This kind of honesty doesn’t mean everyone needs access to every part of our story. Wisdom matters. But we all need a few people who know what’s really going on. People who know what we’re celebrating and what we’re grieving. People who know where we’re strong and where we’re struggling. People who know how to pray for us because we’ve actuallytold them the truth.
I came into conference a little disappointed that I was going by myself. But I left reminded that sometimes God uses an unexpected seat, a new friend, an honest confession, or a vulnerable moment from the stage to show us what sisterhood really looks like.
A good sister doesn’t have to have everything together.
A good sister doesn’t have to have all the answers.
But a good sister tells the truth.
And that’s the kind of sister and friend I want to be.
by Emma Dotter | Jul 28, 2026 | Featured, Life Advice, LO Library, Perspective, Prayer, Testimonies
How do I hear God?
Am I Hearing God… or Is It Just My Own Thoughts?
If you’re looking for a direct answer, scroll down, because here’s where we’re going:
- How does God speak?
- What does the Holy Spirit do?
- How do I know it’s God?
- Am I doing something wrong?
But before we jump in, I’ve got a story for you.
I work on the top floor of an office building, and a few times a week, after I’ve been staring at my computer for a little too long, I’ll decide that it’s time to go take a lap. I get up from my desk, walk one loop around the perimeter of our office floor, and come back.
The other day, while taking a lap, one of my friends stopped me and said, “I always know when you’re coming.”
“Oh really?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she laughed. “I can hear your shoes clicking down the hallway.”
That comment quickly turned into an important question.
“Wait . . .” she said. “Do you drag your feet when you walk?”
I immediately looked down at my shoes.
“No!” I said. “At least . . . I don’t think so?”
After a little investigation, and much to my relief, we concluded that I wasn’t dragging my feet at all. It wasn’t the way I walked. It was simply the kind of shoes I was wearing. I had no idea I was announcing my arrival every afternoon, but according to my coworker, the clicking of my shoes is as recognizable as my voice.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that’s what familiarity does. The more time you spend with someone, the more you recognize them—even by something as ordinary as the sound of their footsteps.
My friend doesn’t recognize my footsteps because she’s spent hours analyzing the sound of my shoes. She recognizes them because we’ve spent enough time around each other. After hearing me walk past her office day after day and week after week, she’d become familiar with the sound.
What if hearing God works more like that than we realize?
So often, we approach the Christian life hoping God will give us a dramatic sign, an audible voice, or some unmistakable feeling. We assume hearing God is about learning a secret technique. But that’s not how Scripture describes it. Hearing God begins with knowing God. And as you grow in your knowledge of him, you grow in your ability to recognize his voice.
So, how do you hear God? How do you know if it’s God’s voice or your own thoughts? Let’s dive in.
- How does God speak?
If you’ve ever wondered how God speaks, the best place to look isn’t someone else’s testimony—it’s the Bible itself. One of the most helpful things we can do is notice how God’s communication unfolds throughout Scripture. God doesn’t speak in exactly the same way in every era of redemptive history. As his plan unfolds, so does his revelation of himself.
How did God speak in the Old Testament?
When we open the Old Testament, one thing becomes abundantly clear: God is a God who speaks. He spoke creation into existence (Genesis 1). He called Abraham to leave his homeland (Genesis 12). He appeared to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3). He spoke through dreams to Joseph and Daniel, through visions to prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel, through angels to Gideon, and even through a donkey to Balaam (Genesis 37, Daniel 2, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, Judges 6, Numbers 22).
God repeatedly revealed himself in remarkable ways!
But before we conclude that this is how we should expect God to speak to us today, it’s worth slowing down and making an observation: These moments were extraordinary, but they certainly weren’t ordinary. These stories stand out precisely because they were unusual.
Nevertheless, our God isn’t silent! From the very beginning, he has been a God who delights to reveal himself. The question isn’t whether God speaks. The question is how has he chosen to speak today? And how often does he speak?
Next, God spoke through his son.
If the Old Testament leaves us asking, “When will God speak again?” the Gospels answer with a person: Jesus.
Hebrews 1:1–2 beautifully captures this turning point: “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.” For centuries, God primarily spoke through prophets, dreams, visions, angels, and miraculous signs. But all of those were preparing the way for something even greater! When Jesus stepped onto the scene, God wasn’t simply sending another messenger. He was sending his Son. That’s why Jesus could say, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
John describes Jesus as “the Word” who became flesh and lived among us (John 1:14). So, if you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. If you want to know what God values, listen to Jesus. If you want to know how God responds to sinners, sufferers, doubters, and disciples, watch Jesus. In other words, God’s greatest revelation wasn’t a burning bush or a booming voice from heaven. It was a person. Jesus came to make the Father known, to accomplish what we never could, and to rescue us from what we could never escape. He lived the perfect life we failed to live, died the death we deserved, and rose again victorious over sin, death, and Satan such that everyone who repents and places their faith in him can be forgiven, reconciled to God, and receive eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 2:8–9).
By the end of the Gospels, one thing is clear: God has spoken most fully through his Son. Which naturally raises another question: If Jesus has ascended to heaven, how does he continue to speak to his people today?
How does God speak today?
If the Gospels answer the question, “How has God revealed Himself?” the book of Acts answers another important question: How does the risen Jesus continue his work after returning to heaven? The answer is through the Holy Spirit.
Before Jesus ascended, he promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come (John 14:16–17; Acts 1:8). And in Acts 2, the Spirit descended at Pentecost, empowering the apostles to proclaim the gospel. The church was launched! (As you read Acts, you’ll notice the Holy Spirit’s presence on nearly every page.)
The Spirit spoke to believers in a variety of ways. He gave Peter a vision before Cornelius arrived (Acts 10). He told the church at Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul for missionary work (Acts 13:2). He prevented Paul and his companions from traveling into certain regions before directing them to Macedonia through a vision (Acts 16:6–10). He warned Paul about the suffering that awaited him in Jerusalem (Acts 20:22–23; 21:10–11). Once again, God was speaking in remarkable ways as he established his church and spread the good news to the ends of the earth.
Luke (the author of Acts) recorded how the risen Jesus continued his work through his apostles during a unique moment in redemptive history. He’s showing us that the Holy Spirit empowers believers for mission, convicts people of sin, gives wisdom, guides, directs, and faithfully accomplishes God’s purposes. The same Spirit who empowered believers in the early church dwells in every believer today (Ephesians 1:13).
As we move into the Epistles, we find the apostles teaching ordinary believers how to walk with God after Jesus’ ascension. Interestingly, the emphasis isn’t on seeking new messages from God but on faithfully responding to what he had already revealed.
The Holy Spirit leads God’s people—Paul says those who are led by the Spirit are God’s children (Romans 8:14), and James encourages believers who lack wisdom to ask God, who gives generously (James 1:5). The Spirit also convicts us of sin, produces his fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:16–25), and equips the church through spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12–14).
Woven throughout the New Testament is a consistent pattern: the Spirit never leads believers away from God’s Word or beyond it. Instead, he helps us understand it, remember it, delight in it, and obey it. Paul reminded Timothy that “all Scripture is inspired by God” and is able to equip us “for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). In other words, if you want to hear God, the primary place to begin isn’t by looking for a new revelation—it’s by opening the revelation he has already given: your Bible.
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide believers into truth (John 16:13), not by giving additional revelation that competes with or adds to Scripture, but by illuminating, reminding, convicting, and helping us understand what God has already spoken. In other words, when the New Testament teaches believers to discern God’s voice, it consistently points them to the Spirit-inspired Word of God, trusting the Holy Spirit to illuminate its truth, convict their hearts, and empower them to respond in faithful obedience (John 16:13, 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, Hebrews 4:12, Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 6:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:17).
- When it comes to hearing God, what does the Holy Spirit do?
Okay, I know I should read my Bible—but where and how does the Holy Spirit fit into all of this?
Jesus promised his disciples that the Spirit would teach them, remind them of everything he had said, and guide them into all truth (John 14:26; 16:13). Today, the Spirit continues that work in the life of every believer. He opens our eyes to understand God’s Word (1 Corinthians 2:12–16). He convicts us of sin (John 16:8). He produces Christlike character in us (Galatians 5:22–23). He gives wisdom as we seek to follow the Lord (James 1:5). And he empowers us to obey what God has revealed.
Think back to the sound of my footsteps in the hallway. My friend didn’t recognize me because she’d discovered a secret technique. She recognized me because she’d become familiar with me. The Holy Spirit works in much the same way.
As we spend time in God’s Word, he’s continually shaping our hearts, renewing our minds, and helping us become more familiar with God’s character. Over time, we begin to recognize what sounds like our Shepherd and what doesn’t—not because we’ve learned to decode hidden messages, but because we’ve come to know the One who’s speaking.
“But Emma, HOW DO I HEAR GOD?!”
Let’s get practical. Here are some activities to try:
Read the Bible. As you seek to hear God, don’t simply open your Bible—invite the Spirit to meet you there. Anytime you read your Bible, before you start, ask him to open your eyes to understand God’s Word, to soften your heart toward whatever he wants to teach you, and to give you the courage to respond. Pray for wisdom (James 1:5), for discernment, and for a greater love for Christ. As you seek the Spirit’s help, you can read with confidence, knowing that God isn’t hiding from you. He’s eager to reveal himself to those who humbly seek him.
Fast. Throughout Scripture, God’s people often paired prayer with fasting—not because fasting earns God’s favor or guarantees an answer, but because it helps quiet the competing desires of our hearts. By intentionally setting aside something good for a season, we’re reminded that our deepest need isn’t food, entertainment, or comfort—it’s the Lord Himself. Fasting creates space to seek God with greater focus and dependence.
Try Meditation. Reading the Bible isn’t the only way to engage with God’s Word. The Bible repeatedly invites us to meditate on it—to slow down, linger, and allow God’s truth to sink deeply into our hearts. Instead of racing to finish a chapter, spend time with a single verse. Read it several times. Memorize it. Pray through it. Ask what it reveals about God’s character and how it invites you to respond. Often, the Holy Spirit’s work isn’t found in reading more but in slowing down long enough for God’s Word to shape us.
Connect with God through Song. Sometimes the best way to hear God is to spend time worshiping him. Throughout Scripture, worship reorients God’s people. It lifts our eyes off our circumstances and fixes them on his character. As you sing, thank him, and reflect on who he is, you may find that the questions consuming your mind begin to shrink considering his greatness. Worship doesn’t always change our circumstances, but it often changes our perspective.
Start with Obedience. One of the clearest ways to grow in recognizing God’s voice is to obey what he’s already made clear. Sometimes we long for God to reveal his will about tomorrow while ignoring what he’s asked of us today.The goal isn’t simply to hear God more clearly—it’s to follow him more faithfully.
- How do I know if it’s God’s voice?
This is probably the question you’ve been waiting for.
The first question isn’t, “Did I hear something from God?” It’s, “Does that sound like my Shepherd?”
Just like my friend recognized my footsteps because she had become familiar with them, we learn to recognize God’s voice by becoming familiar with his character. The more we know him through his Word, the more readily we recognize what comes from him.
So, when you think the Lord might be leading you, ask a few simple questions:
- Does it align with Scripture?
- Does it sound like Jesus?
- Does it lead you to look more like Jesus?
- Is it producing the fruit of the Spirit?
- Have I invited wise believers into this?
Finally, remember this: not every impression is from God—but not every impression should be dismissed either. Hold your thoughts with open hands. Test them by Scripture. Pray. Seek wisdom. Walk in obedience. And trust that the Shepherd who knows you is fully capable of leading you. At the end of the day, if God will be glorified by you responding to whatever it is you’re hearing or sensing, why not take the leap? If God won’t be glorified, it’s not God’s leading. It’s that simple.
After all, Jesus didn’t say, “My sheep perfectly interpret every prompting.” He said, “My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27 NIV). The confidence of the Christian life isn’t found in our ability to discern flawlessly. It’s found in the faithfulness of the Shepherd who promises to lead his sheep.
- Am I doing something wrong?
“Everyone else seems to hear God, but I don’t. Am I doing something wrong?” Yes . . . and no.
We’re broken people living in a broken world. Our minds are clouded by sin. Our desires are often mixed. Our emotions can be unreliable. It’s no wonder discerning God’s voice doesn’t always come naturally. The good news is that God isn’t surprised by any of that. He knows exactly who he’s speaking to, and he’s incredibly patient with his children.
At the same time, there are ways we can become less sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Scripture warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) or quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Unconfessed sin, persistent disobedience, pride, constant distraction, and a lack of time spent with God can dull our spiritual sensitivity—not because the Spirit has stopped speaking, but because we’ve stopped paying attention. Like any relationship, intimacy with God grows as we consistently spend time with him, listen to him, and respond in obedience.
Rather than asking, “Why isn’t God speaking?” a better question is, “Am I creating space to listen?” Here are a few questions worth prayerfully considering:
- Am I regularly spending time in God’s Word, or am I solely waiting for God to speak apart from it?
- Is there any area of my life where I’m resisting something God has already made clear?
- Have I confessed known sin, or am I allowing it to create distance in my relationship with God?
- Am I surrounding myself with so much noise that I rarely slow down enough to listen?
- When God convicts me through his Word, do I respond with obedience, excuses, or pretend I didn’t hear?
- Am I inviting the Holy Spirit to search my heart and reveal what he wants to change?
- Do I care more about getting something from God than I do about deepening my relationship with God?
None of these questions are meant to leave you feeling defeated. They’re an invitation. The Shepherd isn’t trying to make his voice difficult to recognize. He delights in leading his sheep. As we humble ourselves before him, pursue holiness, and faithfully seek him through his Word, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will continue his work of making us more attentive to his voice.
If you’ve made it to the end of this article hoping for a foolproof formula to hear God’s voice, I’m sorry to disappoint you. But I hope you’ve discovered something even better. The Christian life isn’t about mastering a technique. It’s about knowing a Person. The God who spoke creation into existence, who revealed himself through his Son, and who sent his Spirit to dwell within his people hasn’t gone silent. He delights to reveal himself to those who seek him. So, keep opening your Bible. Keep praying. Keep asking the Spirit for wisdom and understanding. Keep taking the next step of obedience. Over time, you’ll find that hearing God isn’t about chasing dramatic experiences (though, sometimes, they do come). It’s about walking faithfully with the Shepherd whose voice becomes more familiar with every step.
by Emma Dotter | Sep 16, 2025 | Featured, Life Advice, LO Library
When I was in high school, Instagram barely existed. I lived in San Antonio, went to a public school, and spent weekends at youth group. Now I live in Dallas, work at a church, and spend a lot of my time creating Instagram and YouTube videos helping people understand the Bible—something I never imagined I’d be doing.
So much has changed.
But one thing hasn’t: the tension we all feel when it comes to trusting the Bible.
If you’ve ever had a friend say the Bible’s outdated, or a professor question its credibility, or even your own heart whisper, “Can I really trust this?” You’re not alone. I’ve felt it too.
That tension started for me back in high school, sitting next to a bold atheist in my AP Environmental Science class. I knew I was supposed to talk to him about Jesus . . . but I didn’t. Not once. Because deep down, I was afraid I wouldn’t have the answers. I let fear win. And I missed the opportunity.
Two years later, I got news that he had been hit by a car and passed away. I don’t know where he was in his faith journey at that point. But I know that for a whole school year, I sat next to someone who didn’t know Jesus, and I said nothing. That moment still sits heavy on my heart—not in shame, but in deep awareness. Awareness that time is short, that opportunities matter, and that I want to be someone who trusts God enough to speak.
Now, years later, I want to help you feel more confident than I did in that classroom. Whether you’re in college, working full-time, newly married, or still figuring out your next step—I want you to know that the Bible is trustworthy. And so is the God behind it.
Let’s break it down into three truths:
1. You Can Trust the Bible
Maybe you’ve heard people say things like:
· “The Bible’s been changed over time.”
· “It’s full of contradictions.”
· “It’s irrelevant to real life.”
I get it. But here’s why those things aren’t true:
The Bible is historically reliable. First, we need to understand that the Bible is not a single book. It’s a collection of 66
books written over 1,500 years by around 40 different authors across three continents and in three languages. Despite all of that diversity, it tells one unified story about God’s redemption of humanity. That level of consistency, over centuries, is remarkable—and historically unparalleled. There’s no other book like it!
But it’s not just internal consistency that makes the Bible historically reliable. It’s the external evidence, too.
The Bible regularly references real people, real cities, and real historical events that have been confirmed by archaeology. For example, for a long-time critics said King David was a myth—until the Tel Dan Stele was discovered, referencing the “House of David.” The same has happened with ancient cities like Jericho and Nineveh—dismissed as legends, until archaeologists uncovered them.
Then there’s manuscript evidence. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest Hebrew manuscripts we had were from about 900 AD. But when the Scrolls were found in the 1940s, dating back to 250–150 BC, scholars were able to compare the texts. What they found was that over the course of 1,000 years of copying, the biblical texts remained astonishingly accurate. That’s not normal. That’s preservation. That’s God’s providence. The scriptures hadn’t been changed.
Finally, Jesus Himself affirmed the reliability of the Old Testament. In Luke 24:44, He refers to the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms—the threefold division of the Hebrew Bible—as authoritative Scripture. If the Son of God trusted it, so can we.
The Bible has been well preserved. Well, it wasn’t just preserved—it was obsessively protected. In the ancient world, before printing presses or even widely available writing materials, God’s people passed His Word down through oral tradition. And unlike the casual game of Telephone we played as kids, this tradition was upheld in tight-knit communities, where accuracy mattered. If someone got the story wrong, others corrected it immediately. It was everyone’s responsibility to protect the truth.
Eventually, these words were written on papyrus (made from plants) and later parchment (made from animal skins). But both materials were fragile. So scribes—trained experts—copied the texts by hand with extreme precision. If they made a mistake, they would destroy the entire scroll and start again.
And here’s what’s remarkable: when the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, containing Old Testament manuscripts more than a thousand years older than our previously earliest copies, scholars compared the versions—and found that virtually nothing had changed.
Think about that. Over a millennium of manual copying, across generations, in war and peace, under persecution and in prosperity… and God’s Word remained intact. That’s preservation. That’s supernatural.
We have more manuscript evidence for the Bible than any other ancient text. One of the most common objections people raise about the Bible is, “Hasn’t it been changed over time?” That’s a fair question. But when we compare the Bible to other ancient texts, the evidence overwhelmingly shows how uniquely reliable it is.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
· Homer’s Iliad (everyone’s favorite book in High School, lol) has around 1,800 surviving manuscripts. That’s actually really good by ancient standards. Most historians consider it trustworthy based on that.
· Plato’s writings? We have about 210 manuscripts.
· Aristotle? Fewer than 50.
· The New Testament alone? Over 5,800 Greek manuscripts—some dating to within 100 years of the original writings. And, for all you brainiacs out there, when you include early Latin, Coptic, Syriac, and other translations, the total jumps to over 24,000 manuscript copies.
That’s not a typo. We have more than 24,000 ancient manuscript copies of the New Testament. By comparison, most ancient texts survive on the basis of just a handful of copies written centuries after the original.
And what about the Old Testament? While we don’t have quite as many manuscripts due to how long ago it was written and how fragile early materials were, we do have:
· The Dead Sea Scrolls, dating as far back as 250 BC, containing portions of every Old Testament book except Esther.
· The Masoretic Text, carefully preserved by Jewish scribes and dated around 900 AD, shows incredible consistency when compared to much older documents.
When scholars compared the Dead Sea Scrolls’ version of Isaiah with the Masoretic Text written over a thousand years later, they found that the differences were minimal—spelling, word order, and a few stylistic updates. The meaning was intact.
What does that mean? It means that for over 1,000 years, copy after copy, the message stayed the same. The scribes who preserved the Bible didn’t play fast and loose with the words—they treated it as sacred. And modern scholars affirm: the Bible we read today is not a corrupted version of an ancient book. It’s faithful to the original.
The Bible never depended on something outside itself to be true. We often hear that saying, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” And
it’s sweet. But some people point out that this is circular reasoning. They’ll say, “You believe the Bible because the Bible says it’s true? That’s not proof.”
But here’s the thing: For something to be a source of ultimate authority, it can’t depend on anything else to validate its authority . . . or it wouldn’t be ultimate. If the Bible is the ultimate authority, it can’t appeal to something higher. It has to be self-attesting. That’s what makes it ultimate. The Bible is reliable because it comes from a reliable God who spoke it, preserved it, and confirmed it throughout history. God’s Word doesn’t need validation from a higher source—because there is no higher source.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” – 2 Timothy 3:16
2. You Can Trust the God of the Bible
Sometimes the issue isn’t with the book itself—it’s with the Author. Maybe you’ve wondered:
· Is God just about rules?
· Is He harsh or distant?
Here’s what Scripture says:
He cares more about your heart than your rule-following. 1 John 5:3 says His commands aren’t burdensome. He gives us instructions because He loves us. And John 10:10 reminds us that He came to give us life to the full.
He is a just and fair judge. Psalm 9:8 tells us He judges with justice and fairness. He doesn’t get it wrong. He doesn’t miss the full story. He sees you. He knows.
He is close and accessible. God isn’t distant. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says the Holy Spirit lives in believers. Psalm 34:18 says He is near to the brokenhearted. But just like we forget where we put our phone until we hear it ping, sometimes we forget He’s close—until we listen again.
He hasn’t moved. We just forget where to look.
And maybe you’ve never looked His way at all.
Here’s the truth: God created you in love, for relationship with Him. But all of us have sinned—every single one of us. It’s been said that, “Sin is anything we think, say or do, that doesn’t please, or honor God and it separates us from Him.” We’ve chosen our way instead of His, and that choice separates us from a holy God. No amount of good behavior or religious effort can fix that gap (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5).
But Jesus did.
God stepped into human history in the person of Jesus Christ. He lived the perfect life we couldn’t, died the death our sin deserved, and rose again to offer us eternal life. That’s not just a story. It’s a rescue.
Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
That means you don’t have to clean yourself up first. You just have to come in faith. To believe. To surrender.
John 1:12 says, “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
The gospel isn’t just information. It’s an invitation.
3. You Can Trust That God Wants to Use You
Maybe your doubt sounds like this:
Can God really use me? Even if I feel unqualified? Even if I’ve messed up?
YES.
Philippians 2:13 says God is already working in you—giving you both the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. You don’t have to be brilliant or bold. You just have to be willing.
I remember in middle school sharing the gospel with a girl, we’ll call her Lucy, for the sake of this blog. She didn’t respond. We grew apart. For years, I wondered: Did that matter? Was God really using me?
Then one day—years later—she called. Out of the blue. She said, “I’ve been thinking about reading the Bible, and I didn’t know who to call… so I thought of you.”
God was working all along.
You don’t have to fear hard questions about the Bible. You can walk into them with confidence, knowing:
· The Bible is reliable.
· The God of the Bible is trustworthy.
· And that same God wants to use you.
You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need the courage to cling to what’s true.
And what’s true is this:
Jesus loves you. This you can know—because the Bible, the reliable, self-attesting, never-changing Word of God, tells you so.
by Emma Dotter | Jul 30, 2025 | Featured, Life Advice, LO Library
This blog is adapted from a sermon I gave at my Preaching I class at Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring 2025.
Have you ever been assigned a book you weren’t exactly excited to read?
Years ago, my college small group got handed a “spiritual growth classic” (that no one had ever heard of) called The Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford. To this day, I’m not sure if it’s actually a classic, because I’ve never heard anyone ever mention this book since then. But we were hopeful. Expecting something fresh and relatable. But the moment we opened it? Disappointment. It felt ancient—like we needed a translator just to get through the King James quotes (No shade if you love the KJV! I’m just keeping it real . . . it was a challenge for us).
But one chapter title caught my eye: Appropriation.
I grew up in church. I thought I had a solid grip on Christianity 101. But that word? It was brand new to me. Stanford explained that appropriation isn’t about gaining something new—it’s about taking hold, by faith, of what’s already yours in Christ. It’s not hustling for more blessings. It’s not name and claim it. It’s not a call to climb higher or try harder. It’s an invitation to walk in the power, identity, and riches you already possess in Jesus. It’s realizing you’ve already been given every spiritual blessing in Christ . . . and then living like it. Because it’s reality.
And honestly? Most of us don’t do that.
We live like spiritual beggars sitting on spiritual riches. We study Scripture. We serve. We teach. We put a verse in our bio on Instagram or TikTok. Maybe you’re like me and you even preach! Yet, we often forget to live from what’s already been secured for us in Christ. That’s when ministry gets exhausting. That’s when “Christianity” gets exhausting. That’s when spiritual practices feel more like performance than presence. Spiritual practices become an act of “completion rather than connection” (as my pastor “TA” says).
But Ephesians 1 shows us a different way.
When Paul prays for the Ephesian believers—people already known for their faith and love—he doesn’t ask God to give them more. Which is incredibly interesting, because these people were doing it right. They had a good Christian reputation (or so we’d say in our day). Paul asks God to help them grasp what they already have. Because spiritual maturity isn’t about getting something new. It’s about living into what’s already yours in Jesus. So even though the Ephesians were doing the right things, THEY WERE STILL MISSING SOMETHING! GOD HAD MORE FOR THEM!
Let me show you five ways Paul says we grow up in Christ
1. We Grow in Gratitude when we Recognize God at Work in Others “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…” (Ephesians 1:16)
Paul kicks off his prayer with thanks. But not generic thanks. He’s thanking God specifically for the Ephesians—for their real, visible faith and their love for others. It’s a small detail, but it tells us something profound: growing in Christ means you start noticing grace in other people. Grace is God’s undeserved kindness—His choice to love, forgive, and bless us, not because we’ve earned it, but because of who He is. And when you see God’s grace at work, we shouldn’t critique it. We should celebrate it.
That’s evidence of spiritual maturity.
Paul didn’t just see people; he saw evidence of God at work in them. And that filled him with gratitude—not because they were perfect, or had it all together, but because God was clearly moving.
I remember once asking a pastor I looked up to (and I knew was a very busy guy) to give me feedback on a sermon I was working on. He sent me a voice memo full of insights and encouragement, even while I could hear his family in the background. It hit me: his teaching gift, his servant heart, his leadership—it wasn’t just impressive. It was a gift from God. He was being generous to me, through his time! And that realization stirred up genuine gratitude in me, not just for his help, but for what God was doing through him—for all the ways in which he was using his gifts to further the kingdom through not just his own opportunities but by supporting me with mine. I bought him a thank-you gift—not out of obligation, but out of overflow.
That’s what gratitude does. It moves us. It softens cynicism. It rewires the way we talk about other girls, churches, leaders, and ministries. Because let’s be honest: we are quick to criticize. We’re quick to compare ourselves to other girls on social media or tear down others in our thought life. We scroll, analyze, judge—often before we pray. But Paul challenges that. Gratitude means looking for God’s fingerprints on someone else’s life . . . and giving thanks.
2. We Grow in Knowledge When We Rely on the Spirit to Reveal, Not Just Books to Inform
“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Ephesians 1:17)
Paul’s not praying for unbelievers here. He’s praying for people already walking with Jesus. People who probably knew Scripture well. And yet, he still prays they would grow in knowledge—not just head knowledge, but Spirit-empowered understanding of who God is and how He works.
There’s this old saying: “The Bible is shallow enough for a child to wade and deep enough for a theologian to drown.” I love that. Because it reminds me that no matter how many Bible degrees I earn or how long I’ve been in ministry, or how many episodes you’ve listened to of your favorite Christian podcast, or how long you’ve been going to church, or how many Christian books you’ve read, we never graduate from needing the gospel.
The gospel is the good news that even though we’ve all messed up and fallen short of God’s standard, He didn’t leave us stuck in our sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, to live the perfect life we couldn’t, die the death we deserved, and rise again to give us new life. Through faith in Jesus—not our performance, not our church attendance, not our good behavior—we’re forgiven, made whole, and brought into a relationship with God that starts now and lasts forever. It means you don’t have to earn your worth, fix yourself, or figure life out on your own. Jesus has already done the work—your role is to trust Him and walk with Him.
It’s easy to fall into this subtle trap, especially in the spaces I’m in as a seminary student. We start treating the gospel like academic content instead of spiritual power! Sure, my eternity is secure, but what does this mean in my day-to-day life? We diagram the Greek, ace the quizzes, and still feel dry. Because growth isn’t about information—it’s about revelation. About surrendering to the Spirit who opens our eyes.
We can fall into this trap in any season of life. Maybe you’re newly married, building a home, or juggling work, friendships, and a growing to-do list. Baby on the way? Or desperately hoping one will be soon? You’re still doing your quiet time, still showing up at church, maybe even leading a small group—but if you’re honest, it can start to feel like you’re just checking boxes. The gospel becomes something you know rather than something that moves you. But spiritual growth was never meant to be just about gaining more knowledge—it’s about letting the Holy Spirit reveal more of Jesus to you as you also connect with Him. But that primarily happens when we slow down, listen, and surrender.
I think of it like a parent teaching a child to read. The letters are there. The words are visible. But unless someone helps the child see how it all comes together, it’s just a page of symbols. The child might know the alphabet and they might even know some of the smaller words, but they can’t learn to read a full sentence, with larger words, unless someone helps them! They can’t teach themselves to read! The Holy Spirit is our helper, our divine tutor, guiding us deeper into knowing the God who already knows us fully.
So ask yourself: Is your spiritual activity (quiet times, bible studies, small group, etc.) marked by Spirit dependence or solo determination?
3. We grow in Clarity when We See What’s Already Unshakable
“…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…” (Ephesians 1:18)
When Paul talks about “the eyes of your heart,” he’s not being poetic. He’s being practical. He’s praying for spiritual clarity—the kind that helps you see reality through God’s lens. To know, without question, the hope and riches that are already yours.
I’ll never forget this moment during a discipleship program I was in. On the first day, someone stood up and tried to quote a verse from memory. He fumbled. Stumbled. Ended up paraphrasing instead of quoting. That’s when our pastor stopped and said, “You need to know Scripture like you know your name—immediately, clearly, without confusion.”
That line stuck with me. Because Paul’s not praying the Ephesians would know about hope—he’s praying that they’d grasp it, like their own name. That the believers in Ephesus would understand their eternal future was already secured, and that they’d been given spiritual riches to sustain them in that present moment.
A few months ago, I was facing a big decision—one of those where no matter how many pros and cons lists you make, clarity just doesn’t come easily. I prayed. I sought wise counsel. I journaled until my hand cramped. But the outcome was still foggy. And it was frustrating. Because I wanted certainty. I wanted God to drop a clear “yes” or “no” into my inbox.
But instead of giving me a five-year plan, God gave me something better: peace.
Even though I didn’t know what would happen next, I knew what wasn’t changing—His presence with me, His promises to me, and my hope in Him. That’s the kind of clarity Paul is praying for. Not clarity about every next step, or the next “5-year plan,” but clarity about what’s already true. What’s already yours. Jesus doesn’t always reveal the full picture—but He never leaves you to figure it out alone.
4. We grow in Confidence When We Rest in His Power, Not Our Performance
“…the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe…” (Ephesians 1:19)
Immeasurable. That’s not a word Paul uses lightly.
He’s talking about resurrection power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is already at work in you. Not just someday. Not just in the big, dramatic moments. Right now. In your studies. Your ministry. Your relationships.
But let’s be real: sometimes, it doesn’t feel that way. You feel weak. Overwhelmed. Inadequate. You wonder if you can actually handle the weight of your calling or your calendar or your job or your family or your marriage or your parenting.
Paul gets that. That’s why he’s praying you’d be confident—not in yourself, but in the Spirit’s power within you.
This isn’t motivational speaking. It’s theology. It’s gospel truth!
Jesus didn’t just die for you—He rose to live in you—to do life with you! And now, every ounce of spiritual growth in your life is fueled by His strength. When you feel tired, doubtful, insecure—go back to this: the Spirit’s power isn’t a side effect of salvation. It’s the engine of transformation.
5. Our awareness of our Identity Grows When we Remember Who e Belong To
“…the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22–23)
You don’t need to DTR with Jesus. The relationship is already defined. If you’re in Christ, you are His. Period.
Paul reminds us that we are the body of Christ—and He is our Head. That means you have a place. You have purpose. And you’re already filled by the One who fills everything.
But identity is one of the easiest things to forget. Especially when you’re chasing success. Be it success in that “big girl job” you’re absolutely crushing, success in grad school, success as new wife or new mom, or even success in conceiving a child. We forget our identity. And it’s sad. It’s heartbreaking. We start to think we are both our biggest achievements and our greatest disappointments.
But growing in Christ means becoming more certain—not less—of who you are. You’re His. You’re empowered by His Spirit. You have a role that matters, and it’s not up for debate. That identity isn’t determined by your circumstance, situation, or success, it’s determined by Him and Him alone.
So, What Now?
Spiritual maturity isn’t about gaining something new—it’s about grasping what’s already yours in Christ.
That’s what Miles Stanford called appropriation. And while that old book felt ancient at the time, the truth inside it has only become more relevant.
You don’t need to “level up” spiritually. You need to embrace what’s already true.
Gratitude. Knowledge. Clarity. Confidence. Identity.
All of it has already been given to you in Jesus.
So don’t outgrow the gospel.
Take hold of it.
It’s yours.
by Emma Dotter | Nov 14, 2024 | Church Hurt, Featured, Friendship, LO Library, Sisterhood, Sisterhood & Community, Wisdom
If you’re local to Dallas, Texas, on November 17th at 7:30 PM we’re hosting an LO Local event – it’s all about rethinking what it means to follow Jesus and realizing that we’re not meant to do it alone. We’ll be talking all about Emma Mae’s Workshop from the LO Sister App, worshipping together, hanging out, eating snacks, and opening the Word. No RSVP required and this event is totally free!
Let’s start with a familiar picture: you’re new in town, maybe it’s freshman year of college, a new job, or a new stage of life. You’re sitting in your car, wondering why you feel so isolated. No close friends nearby, no local church to lean on, and you’re scrolling through Instagram or TikTok where everyone else seems to have it all figured out. Maybe you’re going through the motions, trying to keep up, but the connection just isn’t there. We’ve all been there—or somewhere close.
Here’s another scenario. Think about group projects. Most of us have had that one project we ended up doing mostly (if not entirely) by ourselves—we stayed up super late, put in all the work, and found ourselves frustrated and exhausted. And here’s what’s interesting—Faith can feel that way, too, especially when it seems like no one else is there to share the load, check in, follow up, or care about how you’re actually doing.
But the truth can change everything: God designed our faith to be shared, to be lived out with others.
I know what it’s like to be surrounded by people (even Christian friends) and feel totally alone. It can seem like everyone else is living a picture-perfect life, filled with friends and moments of strong faith, but when we’re alone, it’s a different story. Trying to follow Jesus while feeling isolated can make faith itself feel disorienting or even discouraging.
But if you’re feeling this way, here’s the good news: God never meant for us to do faith alone. Following Jesus was always meant to be a group project.
There’s no better place to see this “group project” approach than in Acts 2:42-47, where we get a glimpse into the very first church community. It’s where we find the beauty of what a life together, in Jesus, can look like. We get a snapshot of the first church in Jerusalem—a close-knit community that grew rapidly after the Holy Spirit came, and people began turning to Christ. But here’s something unique about the church: it wasn’t simply a building; it was a family. And it should still be the same today.
People believed in Jesus individually, yes, but they lived it out collectively, forming the very first local church (and no, this family didn’t all live in one house. They lived all over the city, came together, and met in homes). And it wasn’t exactly a popular move—the religious culture in Jerusalem was skeptical, even hostile. Yet these early believers kept showing up for each other, creating a community that looked totally different from anything else around. The church was never just a building (like we often say, “Are you going to church this Sunday?”). The church is a group of people who do life together. Here are three distinct markers of this first church community in Jerusalem:
- They Centered on the Word & Worship
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.”- Acts 2:42-43
The early church prioritized gathering around the teachings of Jesus, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper. The church community was devoted. This wasn’t just an occasional gathering; it was the pattern of their lives. They listened to the apostles (their leaders) who shared what Jesus had taught, and they experienced God’s presence in community, which led to a collective sense of awe and worship.
Through this togetherness, God moved powerfully among them. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could say that you were tangibly seeing God move in power? Being plugged into a local church doesn’t mean you will 100% for sure see God move, but it does mean you can be confident you’re doing something that’s in line with His design and will for believers. God’s model for Christianity, from the very beginning of its existence, involved Christians gathering together in the context of local Churches (local groups of believers) opening His Word and being amazed as He moved. So, it’s worth asking ourselves: Who are we listening to, and are those voices drawing us closer to God? Who do we surround ourselves with, and are they building up our faith?
As the early church gathered, they’d share communion. Jesus first taught about communion during the Last Supper, which He shared with His disciples just before He was arrested. Communion (also called the Lord’s Supper) is a way for His followers to remember His love and sacrifice. During the Last Supper, Jesus took some bread, broke it, and told His disciples, “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Then He took a cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). These simple things—bread and wine—became symbols to help us remember the huge sacrifice Jesus was about to make on the cross. He wanted His followers to use this meal to remember what He did for us and to reflect on His incredible love.
Jesus might’ve used bread and wine because they are easy to find and share, but they also have special meaning. The bread stands for Jesus’ body that was broken for us, and the wine stands for His blood, which was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. When we take communion, we remember His love and sacrifice and the new relationship (or covenant) that we have with God because of Jesus. Really, communion is a reminder of the gospel, that God loved us so much He sent His one and only son to die on the cross, taking the punishment we deserve for our sins. He rose again, defeating death, so that those who believe in Him can have life and life to the full (Romans 10:9-10).
Christianity isn’t about earning our way to God or doing religious practices so God will like us more. We could never and will never measure up (Ephesians 2:8-9). Even on our “best” days we fall short. We’re saved by our faith, not our works or performance. But, if you’re a Christian, God isn’t holding your sinful choices against you. The picture communion calls to mind, of Jesus on the cross, is the ultimate example of forgiveness. Jesus forgave us for our sins. We don’t have to measure up. No one can.
Today, it can be easy to live with an “it’s just me and Jesus” mentality. And I get it, maybe you’ve been hurt. Or hurt by someone in the Church—the other people in the church can’t measure up to God’s perfect standard either. So first, I just want to say, if that’s you, I’m so sorry that you’ve been hurt, seemingly by the church. It’s painful when a place that’s supposed to feel safe, accepting, and loving ends up causing hurt instead. You’re not alone in feeling this way. So many people have gone through similar experiences, and it’s completely understandable to feel confused, sad, or even distant from church because of it.
But please know, the heart of Jesus is gentle, kind, and never condemning. People aren’t perfect, even in church, but that doesn’t change how much God loves you and wants you to experience real community. Healing takes time, but God’s desire for you is forgiveness and healing. So as you process and heal, try to lean on other believers who bring you peace and encouragement. You might be tempted to “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” as the saying goes—to throw out all churches after being burned by one or two, maybe even three. If that’s you, spend some time journaling your thoughts, hurts, and worries in a prayer to the Lord. Ask Him to give you the courage to forgive and then to either seek reconciliation with those who hurt you or pursue a new local church. I’m praying He’ll guide you in this decision.
Let’s get back to the early church in Acts.
- They Practiced Radical Sharing & Caring
“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.” – Acts 2:44-45
In a world where resources can feel scarce and the focus can often be self-centered, these believers practiced radical generosity. They didn’t isolate themselves (solely sitting with Jesus in a coffee shop) or protect their possessions (storing up journals and Bible studies that collected dust on their shelves); instead, they shared what they had so no one went without. This wasn’t a token gesture but a commitment to real, practical care. It showed they understood community isn’t just a concept; it’s a practice that comes to life in how we show up for each other.
Imagine what it would look like if all the girls in your dorm who knew Jesus freely shared their clothes or notes from class. What would the non-Christians think? Or maybe you’re like me, and you’re not in undergrad anymore. You’re a working professional? What might radical generosity look like with your neighbors or community group? Ask yourself: Are you trying to do life alone, or are you finding ways to connect with those in your church, offering and receiving support?
Now these are good examples to get those wheels turning, to get some ideas going. But don’t miss this—the early Christians were practicing this radical generosity in the context of a local church. You see, while a group of believers (who aren’t from the same church) can come together and do some amazing things (like fund Bible translation, raise school supplies for a needy community, or donate clothes to a women’s shelter), the kind of generosity we’re reading about in Acts 2 was different. Their generosity was centered around the local believers (who were part of the same congregation) caring for each other.
Local churches provide us with levels of care. Through the local church we experience the teaching of the Word (catered to believers in the same shared cultural context – not a podcast streamed from across the country to a different audience). In the local church we get to be shepherded by church leaders who help us grow in Christlikeness and we get to be encouraged by our local brothers and sisters in Christ! And that’s just a few examples in addition to those described in Acts 2.
- They Created a Habit of Hanging Out
“They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:46-47
The first church wasn’t just meeting once a week; they had a habit of being together. Every day, they worshiped in the Temple, gathered in homes, and shared meals. This wasn’t a compartmentalized faith—it was an all-day, everyday kind of thing. Today, many Christians are tempted to turn their faith on or off depending on the day of the week—it’s easy to turn up the volume of our faith on Sundays when we’re going to Church. But for the early church? The joy, generosity, and authenticity of their lives together was something others couldn’t ignore. People around them noticed and were drawn in by the way these Christians lived, curious to know what made them different. And every day, more people joined them, finding faith in Jesus. Reflect on this: When others look at your life and your community, do they see something that points them to Jesus? Are they drawn in by the way you live out your faith?
The early church gives us a model: We’re meant to follow Jesus together. Being a believer (among other traits) means being marked by three things: centering on the Word and worship (gathering with a local church body), sharing and caring for each other, and practicing the joyful habit of spending time together. This way of life wasn’t just a one-time experiment for the early church—it was foundational. And it still is for us today.
God designed us to need each other. He created the church as a family where we can grow, lean on each other, and live out our faith together. Following Jesus is a group project, and when we live that way, we show the world a glimpse of His love and grace.
If you’re a Dallas, local, we’d love to invite you to Join us for the LO Local event on Sunday, November 17th at 7PM at Watermark Coffee. You can come alone, and ready to make some new friends, or bring your besties. Either way, we want to help you experience biblical community (and have some fun). See you there!
