Rooted in Assurance

In college, I created this graphic of Proverbs 31, quoting, "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future." I always thought Proverbs 31 was this standard and checklist for wives, and WOW have I realized I fall short of that.  If marriage in this short span so far has taught me anything, I am far from enough to be everything for my husband. But that's not what my husband expects of me. I can, however, seek the wisdom of the Lord by reading scripture and prayerfully asking God for his guidance. Does that mean I'm successful in that every day? NO! But I'm learning.  Sometimes, I do fear the future, I don't feel all that strong, and I'm so clumsy I feel far from dignified. I believe the lies that the military dictates our future, that I'm too weak to make the decisions and handle things, that I am going to constantly fail.  In true military fashion, my husband and I had a matter of weeks together after our wedding befor

What happens when you love a boy who doesn't love Jesus? What if a boy doesn't like you back? How do you decide to say yes or no to a first date? Well. What is the purpose of dating? Of course you can have fun, go on dates and enjoy the company of another person. But what is your reason for doing these things? Do you just want attention? Do you feel lonely? Do you want to invest in another person and learn about them? I once heard someone say that when you start dating you either marry the person or break up. Which, honestly, sounds a little fatalistic, doesn't it? But there is truth. Now that doesn't mean don't date, ever. But it does mean that there should be some thoughtful consideration in how we approach dating. As someone who has done this very very imperfectly, I don't want to sound like I have it all together or magically have more wisdom. However, I do want to walk through how we can biblically consider dating.  So if I view dating through the lens of e

"I'm not in love, I'm just in love with the idea of love." When I was in middle school, my dad's wife bought me this adorable sweater with the above quote on it. Laughably accurate, how many of us go through that boy crazy phase growing up? Or maybe still are in it? Sometimes it feels like there is pressure, even as a young girl, to find this soulmate. At some churches, well-meaning adults ask about that boy they saw you sit next to in church. You know how it is, you sat together so you're, you know, "together." "When's the wedding?" they ask after the first month of dating.  Most of the time it's just good-natured jokes, but unwittingly an expectation begins to form. You begin to believe a lie that you are somehow spiritually inferior if you are not yoked to another; somehow marriage is a higher level in the quest to pursue God.  But if this is the case, what about Paul? The man who wrote so much of our New Testament was spirituall

Alexa, play Toxic by Britney Spears.  Usually my blog posts are a reflection on theology or cultural tensions I've observed. However, for this one, I wanted to take a more light-hearted look at the dating/life experiences of my friends and myself.  A little context as we explore this: In college I made some... Interesting dating choices. I also watched my friends have heartbreak after heartbreak as we overgrown children entered a new world of vulnerability and emotions. Together, we brainstormed an idea for a book about these experiences, originally titled "Red Flags: A memoir in dating." Now, this idea has evolved and I'm applying the concept to a series of blogposts, beginning with this one.  For the purpose of this specific post, my goal is to introduce the topic and do a cursory look at observations of dating using an app. Also, as I am a female, and majority of my friends are also female, I'm looking at our interactions with guys. My plan is for this to be a

"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."  – Colossians 3:2 These days our world is seemingly turned upside down as organization after organization issues cancellations and warnings "out of abudance of caution."  As a person required to communicate in order to earn a paycheck, I must admit I'm bothered it doesn't say "out of AN abundance of caution." But maybe that's a little too Hermione Granger to point out.  Lighthearted and nerdy humor aside, this doesn't feel at all like a laughing matter. There are people losing their livelihood, students facing the reality of having to leave communities behind without so much as a goodbye, and families coping with a new normal.  New normal. What does that even mean? It feels a lot like the new circumstances we find ourselves in – online school or work, cancelled social events and entertainment, and shortages – will last for the rest of our lives. It feels like the

If you've spent any amount of time on social media since the Super Bowl, you've seen a firestorm of debate over the half-time show.  Some put others on blast, saying white people are racists who have no love for other cultures. Others will say the show was vastly over-sexualized and of zero value. Before I give my opinion, I just wanted to share a little background. If you don't know me, I'm a Texas-born Florida gal. I've moved a lot since then, but I spent 16 years on the coast of Florida. I also spent 17 summers in Southern California living with my grandma on the coast of San Clemente.  I understand I am incredibly blessed (I'll admit, spoiled) to have these experiences. But what they taught me most is a love for other cultures.  Throughout my childhood I was also a dancer.  My mom, Sandy, danced for the San Antonio Spurs before I was born, so growing up she always encouraged a love for Texas and a love for music.  Now, Texans ar