I’m very blessed to have been raised in a Christian family. I became a Christian when I was about four years old. At the time I definitely didn’t fully understand what Jesus’ sacrifice meant, I just knew I needed him as my Savior. Since then, I’ve learned much more about God, and He has taught me many lessons.  One night when I was seven, I woke up in the middle of the night to my parents talking loudly and my brother crying. It turns out my brother, who was three, had a seizure…

“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you want to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’”  

Luke 9:23-24 speaks about the cost and commitment of following Jesus. It emphasizes three key aspects: surrender, sacrifice, and daily devotion…

My all-time favorite verse is Philippians 4:4-8. This passage is so practical and helps me “do” life. It instructs me on how to live in Christ as a follower of His. God’s Word here encourages me and convicts me. This verse calms my heart in the middle of the night when life feels dark and hopeless and out of control. It ends with promising me the peace of God. It is a verse I cherish with all my heart and I feel like God put this in the bible just for me. So let’s get into it!

Finally, I was out of the riptide and back on my feet, standing in chest-deep water after what seemed like forever. I was exhausted. I didn’t know it but Jill had jumped in too and, as I looked to my right, she was in the riptide now and struggling hard toward the beach. In spite of her best swimming, she was moving steadily backward toward the open ocean and would be out of reach any second. My first instinct was to swim over to her as fast as I could…

I’ve always tried to find a creative way to start my testimony other than saying “I grew up in a Christian household…” but that’s the truth. I was blessed to have been introduced to Christ and the Gospel from a very young age. By the time I was five or six, I understood the basic principles of the gospel and of faith and considered myself to be a believer. Growing up in the church, I had the opportunity to hear testimonies from so many believers. I would listen to their stories and was amazed at the hardships they went through and how God led them through those trials and closer to Him. I remember being in middle school and feeling like my story was SO boring…

Have you ever felt disappointed in God? Have you ever felt let down by Him in regards to the hopes and expectations you had for your life? Maybe you dreamed of getting into a certain college that rejected your application. Maybe you are watching all of your friends receive attention from significant others while you feel invisible and so, so single. Maybe you were overlooked for an opportunity at your job or at school that was instead given to someone you believe is less deserving. It is easy to thank the Lord when things seem to be going well, but how can we be grateful and praise Him even when we feel overwhelmed by disappointment?

Have you ever experienced shame so deep that you truly believed you were better off alone? That is one of the most common human experiences – to be face to face with a shame that tells you that you are worthless. How do we overcome this emotion and stop it from overwhelming our lives?

I was born to loving parents who really wanted a child. They tried to have kids for 10 years with multiple miscarriages and so they were overjoyed to have a miracle baby. I grew up in church and with a Bible teacher dad so I knew all the answers. Many of the students at Impact are like me in this way. Growing up in a church with Christian parents who care about your faith is an amazing blessing…

History nerds, rise up! This is your time to shine. Pop quiz - do you know what a doxology is and why they have been important to the church throughout time? If you said that a doxology is a short song or prayer that ascribes praise and glory to the Lord, then you would be correct! They have been used in church tradition as a response by the people of God to His character and actions…