Going Home for the Holidays When Home Doesn’t Have the Same Faith or Structure You’re Used To The holidays come with so many emotions—excitement,...
Navigating the Holidays When Your Rhythm Isn’t Theirs
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Invite Jesus In—and Actually Sit With Him
Invite Jesus In—and Actually Sit With Him We say all the time that we’re waiting to feel the Lord, waiting for a moment when His presence feels...
Purpose in Every Season
Happy fall, friends! We are in my favorite month and my favorite season. I just love October! The crisp mornings. The cozy outfits. The colorful...
When You’re Not Sure Who You Are
Have you forgotten whose you are in pursuit of who you want to be? Have you ever struggled to introduce yourself at a dinner party with new...
Trading Fear for Faith
Do you remember the first time you ran and hid? The first time you felt a genuine sense of fear, the first time your guard went up, the first time...
The Power of Sisterhood in Christ
I get to lead young adult girls in a weekly bible study and right now we are going through the book of Ephesians, such a powerful book that reveals...
Am I Wondering or Wandering?
I was journaling recently about being stuck in what can only be described as a strange season. I call this season my “season of in-between.” It is...
Has the Bible Been Changed? Can We Trust It?
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...
Hold On, Let Me Overthink This
Decisions are like crossroads. They can send you left, right, or straight. They can change who you marry, where you live, what career you have, how...
How to Discern When to Persevere and When to Quit
Several years ago, as I was mulling over a decision that had been weighing heavily on me, I stumbled across these words in the book of Matthew...
I Met Him at the Well
I was stuck in toxic cycles most of my life. I went guy to guy to guy trying to find someone to fill the whole in my heart that later I learned only...
When You’re Weary
When You’re Weary “God, help me. Please. Help me.” Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve had one of those moments; maybe you’re in one right now. You don’t...
The Power of Your Yes and No
Do you struggle with FOMO, the fear of missing out? We trivialize it and make jokes about it with its cutesy acronym, but let’s just call it what it...
Rebrand
Have you ever had the urge to “rebrand” your life? Or is that just me? Quite frequently, I get super inspired by all the ever-changing aesthetics...
Don’t Outgrow The Gospel
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...
My Go Season
When we start taking obedient steps, one of the first hang-ups we encounter is the temptation to take God’s plan and minimize it to fit our...
What Sets Godly Friendships Apart
This is excerpted from The Way of Wisdom Bible study by Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, Kelly Minter, Adrienne Camp, Elizabeth Woodson, and Courtney...
Building Friendships
DAY 1: FRIENDSHIP: WHAT'S THE POINT? As human beings, we are wired for connection. No matter what season of life we find ourselves in: college...
Trusting God When the Road Looks Risky
There’s something about the word adventure that tugs at our hearts. It sounds exciting, spontaneous, and free. But behind every great adventure is...
Do I Need a Social Media Reset?
I should go off social media forever. But I’ll miss out on so much, and I want to keep in touch with friends. I need to be on it for work and to...
Am I doing this God thing right?
Have you ever wondered if you’re doing this God thing right? That you don’t know how to go deeper with God? Or felt stagnant in your relationship...
Be Real: Love Is Honest
Honest and Humble We do this: we get honest with God and ourselves, which leads to humility, and we confess. What do I mean by honesty? While...
Community Is Created, Not Found
Community is created, not found No one really tells you it’s up to you to create community. I quickly realized this after I moved and spent my first...
Miracles Happen in the Mundane
In the Beatitudes, Jesus shared eight life-changing ways of life. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” “Blessed are those who mourn,” etc. The...
Moonflowers
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew...
The Church That Broke Me and The God Who Found Me
Note from Team LO: We are SO excited to bring you this month's blog from our LO sister member, Brookelyn Hinton! Enjoy today's post from Brookelyn....
Overcoming Insecurity
Breaking Free from the Overwhelming Cycle of Insecurity You’re standing in front of the mirror, staring at your reflection. Maybe it's the dark...
A Savior Who Stoops
Not too long ago, I had the undeserved privilege of hosting Max Lucado for our Back Porch Theology podcast. I was so excited to get to sit across...
Rich in What Matters
It was a Tuesday morning, nine o’clock. My back rested against the recliner chair, as I was too exhausted to feed the seven-month-old balanced on my...
Is God Good?
Who is God? What is the character of God? Wow. The questions that have ran through my mind as I tried to figure out what I should share about His...
Waiting: Shifting Our Perspective
Think about a diamond. What comes to mind? A precious jewel? The most beautiful of all stones? An engagement ring? A representation of love? ...
Dream Redeemer
*I just want to preface by saying that I know there are much bigger problems in the world than the issues I’ve experienced as a college athlete and...
LIE: You’re Not Ready Yet
Nearly four years after I shared my testimony for the first time, I received a message on Instagram that said, “We heard your story at your church,...
Diffuse Doubt by Defining It
Let me tell you about one Sunday morning in 2017. I was standing on the front row of our church service, singing a worship song, minutes away from...
Finding Joy in the Journey
To tell you this story about finding joy, I must give you a little background. I am a mother of two, and one of my children, my daughter, has a...
Small Habits, Big Impact
Our daily decisions and habits are more impactful than we give them credit for. Our habits can lead us closer to the Lord or farther from the Lord....
Your Father’s House
Heaven. It’s your glorious unending. Your forever home. The place your faith becomes sight. I’m so grateful we’re spending the next six weeks in...
Bloom Where You’re Planted
My friends joke that I have a “black thumb,” which is their kind way of saying plants come to my home to die. I’m guilty and will admit I’m that...
Lessons From Exodus
I have been reading through Exodus lately and in the past, I have struggled as I read about the Israelites grumbling and complaining. Like you were...
He Satisfies All Things
I’m officially in the “are you dating anyone yet” era. I was recently back home and ran into one of my old school teachers while at a local coffee...
Faithfulness Over Fame
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. —Matthew 6:33 I have chosen the way of...
Fully Devoted: Giving Christ Your All
Have you ever been in a relationship or friendship where you felt like it was all one sided? Either you feel like you are making all the effort to...
Freedom From Your Past
Happy Tuesday, friend! We're excited to share Part 1 of our newest workshop in the LO Sister App, Goodbye Hiding, Hello Freedom, with you here on...
Your Story Has A Villain
Every year, I give something up on January 1 for the duration of the year. In an effort to not be mastered by anything, I have found it is a helpful...
What Are You Anchored In?
Rejection is no stranger to the human soul. As a mother, I’ve recently seen this in my own son— starting at just eight years old—when he wasn’t...
Friendship with the Lord and the Flourishing that Follows
“Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring...
God Didn’t Choose Her
I want to dream big, but every time I begin to dream, I also begin to think of other women that are more qualified to fulfill that dream. At that...
Hope That Never Fades
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE <3 Fireworks! Balloons! Ball drop! Midnight! It’s 2025! After the excitement of New Year’s Eve winds down, there is...
The God Who Draws Near
Christmas is the answer to the deepest longings of our hearts, longings that have been carried since Eden. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us....
Name Your Fears and Embrace the Extraordinary
Remember the television show Fear Factor, where people confronted a few of their deepest fears? The show was canceled, but our fears don’t get...
Perfectly Imperfect
I dropped into my chair at the head of the table with a barely suppressed sigh of relief. The candlelight shone on the faces of beloved friends and...
The One Thing
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Has there ever been a time in your life where you feel...
How Can I Trust God When I Don’t Understand His Ways?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths...
Do It Anyway
“PURSUE IT" One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a...
A Note for the Holiday Season
For some of us, this holiday season marks a joyful “first”: baby’s first Christmas, first year married, first year being all together. For others,...
Esther
This post is adapted from Esther: Daring Faith for Such a Time as This by Kelly Minter. Learn more about this Bible study. The view from my back...
Sometimes Worship and Wailing Sound the Same
Because sometimes worship and wailing sound the same but I learned they come from two different places. One from what God has already done and the...
“It’s Just Me And Jesus” Mentality Might Not Be Working
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...
Why We Have to Break Up With Comparison
Comparison loves to ruin my contentment. For me, it usually starts when I’ve finished a peaceful time with Jesus in the morning. When I’ve not only...
A Liturgy For Election Day
Whatever the outcome of this election, let our citizenship and our hope be rooted first in your heavenly kingdom.
Craving Community
Jesus is our friend who doesn’t just walk beside us; His Spirit dwells in us. He is with us, in every sense of the word, now and forever.
Favorite Wedding Moment
What is your favorite wedding moment? There are so many from which to choose. From the first downbeat of music to the last crumb of cake at the...
God’s VIP List
Have you ever been to a professional sports tournament? Having been to several, I can safely say that the experience is different depending on who...
Attending to the Healing Within
People who’ve seen me for soul care over the years know that I sometimes begin a session with a simple question: “Where do you find yourself today?”...
The Key to Overcoming Every Spiritual Battle
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present...
God Does It Differently
April 2023, I’m standing in my kitchen at home. I’m getting ready to say goodbye to my son before he flies to Ukraine for a mission—a mission that I...
Trust + Follow
If you are reading these words, I know it’s not by coincidence. I trust that God is intentional and perfect in all of His ways. I write them with...
Remain in His Love
Beloved, Worthy Daughter Out of all the titles you may have—mother, wife, entrepreneur, pastor, teacher—the most important title you’ll ever wear is...
Transformed Parenting
“Hey! That’s mine! This one is yours. This is my side of the table! Stop it right now!” Until that moment, our house had been relatively quiet; our...
Savoring God’s Word Daily
I had three jobs in college: I worked at a theater, as a student driver, and as a waitress at the Wooden Shoe Restaurant. The Wooden Shoe was a...
A Father’s Love Letter
One of my favorite pool games growing up was the penny game. Basically, we would bring a handful of pennies to the pool, throw them in, and race to...
The World Needs God
This world is full of many things. I realize that what I just said is quite broad and is probably known by every single person on the planet. But it...
Good Grief
Let’s just be real: There are some moments when you read the Bible and feel as if you’re taking a field trip to heaven—as if you’re sitting on God’s...
What If?
I was in the middle of a counseling session years ago after a painful breakup pouring my deepest worries out to my counselor, “What if I lost...
A Pause Toward the Promise
Have you been wondering if you heard God right? You’ve taken every step and He’s opened every door but now you feel like you’re at a stand still....
The Danger of Compromise
Recently, we posted a message that I shared at Liberty University this past winter on YouTube, but I felt that I wanted to share it here on the blog...
Relaxed Coffee
I’ve started using the “make coffee” button on my coffee machine as a reminder to befriend Jesus. Honestly, these past few years are the first in...
Be Excited for the Unknown
Is living in the unknown scary, exciting, or a mixture of both? In today’s world, we are constantly told we need a plan of where we want our lives...
Nothing is Wasted
On November 10, 2015, a violent home invasion took the lives of my wife Amanda and our unborn child. Amanda and I had followed God’s call to plant a...
A Good Jealousy
“Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do...
I Am Weak, but Thou’ Art Strong
I want to be a strong woman. I want to be strong for my husband, my family, and my friends. I want to be unshakable in times of trials. I want my...
A Light In Dark Places
Hey friends! My name is Lily and I am working on Team LO this summer! I go to the University of Pennsylvania, and wow, since being here in Louisiana...
God’s Design Over My Desire
There’s this line I heard in a message once that said, “His design over my desire”. I found it pretty powerful because I don’t think many of us...
The Power of Friendship
I have a Six Pack and I don’t mean my Abs. I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a lot of women and a few men about the end of their marriage. The...
Truth to Overcome Anxiety’s Lies
Who has seen Inside Out 2?! My teammates and I went the other night and it was awesome! I highly recommend you go and see it if you haven’t! As most...
Too Close to Home
Because of the sovereignty of God and how God has made me, I have no problem asking strangers about who they believe Jesus to be. I’ve even looked...
The Beauty of Summer Camp
There is a nostalgic feeling I get every year when summer comes around. Once the leaves are back on the trees the summer sun seems to linger on into...
Follower
FOLLOWER DEFINITION: Someone that follows the opinions or teachings of another and imitates the other. As someone who grew up in a time when social...
His Pursuit Always Has Purpose
I remember one of the first children’s Christian hymns I ever learned in Sunday school. Maybe you know it, too. It goes like this: Jesus loves me,...
When Planning Takes A Detour
Plan plural noun: Plans noun: an intention or decision about what one is going to do verb: decide on and arrange in advance I know majority of us...
Why (and How) I Got Social Media Sober
Pull up a chair, friend. This might get worse before it gets better. Let’s be honest for a sec. How are you feeling about this online world? This...
You Don’t Have to Hide in Shame
Not that long ago, my life looked anything but godly. I spent my college years like a walking stereotype: the semi-goody-two-shoes Christian girl...
Truth to Overcoming Anxiety
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Now, you might look at our verse and think to yourself, Ya think I haven’t...
Ringing Reminders to Pray
The traditional function of a town’s central bell tower was to encourage residents to practice the presence of God. In AD 604 Pope Sabinian...
Finding Good Mom Friends Is Hard
We’re Not Supposed to Have Twenty “Besties” The truth is, with the demands of household and children and husbands, we’re unlikely to have the margin...
Optimizing a Season of Lost Purpose
It's that time of year again, when school finals roll around, maybe your grade goes south or you do a little better than expected but second...
An Offering Of Everything
There are so many amazing stories of faith from Genesis to Revelation, but one of my personal favorites is found in Mark 12:41-44 (also referenced...
Name What’s Hard
As a clinician and as a human, I’ve learned that my own flurry of conflicting thoughts is a sign that I need to gently slow down the pace of my...
Life Is Funny Until It’s Not
Just One Thing Folks often ask me, “How did you endure so much grief? How did you climb out of the dark?” My scientific answer is, “Medicine...
The Joy of the In-Between
DAY 6 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful."...