She poured milk over her Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, grabbed a spoon and sat at the table for breakfast. Her nose crinkled and her eyes narrowed. "Mom, there is something wrong with this milk."

Sure enough, it was sour and thankfully we had a fresh carton in the refrigerator and she sampled it first before preparing her breakfast again.

We know what good milk tastes like because we've experienced it. And when we taste something that does not measure up, then we are immediately aware that something isn't right.

We know the difference because we can compare what isn't against what should be. 

Our discernment is spot on when milk is bad, but what about discernment in other things? 

What is it, why do we need it, and how do we get it?

What is Discernment?

Discernment is the ability to judge well, to gain spiritual guidance or understanding.

When we discern we:

• observe,
• look with our eyes,
• detect with our senses, and 
• understand the difference in...

If you’ve ever wondered, “Now what?!” following a life-changing event, you are not alone. The life we lead, as meaningful as we think it is, oftentimes centers around our own desires and that is when we can experience rude awakenings. That’s why it’s imperative to trust in God to guide us to our true calling.

Life’s calling is bigger than we can imagine. We all have certain gifts the Lord has bestowed on us, which makes us a vessel on this Earth for His work. When we seek purpose in life, only then will we become fulfilled. However, you might be confused as to how to unlock your true calling.

Take it from me, someone who spent years in corporate America working in a job I thought was my purpose. And it was for a season. One day, the Lord decided my purpose there had been fulfilled and it was time to find my true calling. I received the call that my position was no longer needed and while that was life-shattering to hear, I am grateful today for...

I was all out of sorts. I wasn't sleeping well, my lower back was cranky, my neck was sore, and I felt like a turtle with my head stuck in tensed-up shoulders. Uncomfortable is an understatement.  But that's what 5 days in the car will do to you.

We had a wonderful time vacationing with friends but the road trip there and back was causing me to question my decision-making. Should we just have flown to Nashville and not driven there from Denver? I mean was 20 hours in the car - each way - worth it?

After that long haul, we all knew what we needed, the chiropractor. We just needed to be adjusted and realigned back to normal.  

Our bodies are amazing creations, it tells us when things are out of whack. And if we listen then we can get the treatment we need.

Our soul (mind, will, and emotions) are the same way, if we know our normal then when thoughts or emotions surface that are off, we can discern it and do something about it.

I'm pretty good at...

When all hope seems lost, it is easy to begin drowning in overwhelm. We wonder, now what! Life seemed to be going smoothly and then suddenly, it wasn’t. That can be one of the most difficult times to continue to have faith in God.

Whether you’ve been a believer for a day or a decade, your faith will be tested time and time again. Jesus tells us all we need is to have faith the size of a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20). But is that really all it takes to make a powerful, victorious change in your life? Yes.

When I lost my corporate job, my world came crashing down on me. My position had produced 60% of my family’s income. It’s never an ideal time to have a life crisis, but I kept my faith that God had a plan for me. I just needed to sit with Him, let Him lead me, and shine a light on my path. 

If you’re like I was and your life has been shaken, it would be my honor to guide you to an understanding of how faith in God can change your life.

What is Faith...

Summer is in full swing, and that means I'm carting kids off to opposite sides of town for their activities. One such trip was an early morning drop-off for my youngest, and this particular morning my oldest decided to tag along.

We hadn't been on the road for very long, and I had a knowing, you know, the knowing that someone is going to ask you to go to Starbucks.

It was at this knowing that I had already made my decision. Before the question was even asked, I predetermined if I would say yes or no.

I smiled to myself, nearly giggling at my desire to treat them before they even asked.

We ascended the exit ramp, and the green mermaid beckoned.

Nothing.

Not a peep. Nothing from the front seat and nothing from the back.

I was shocked. They didn't ask.

I began to wonder if I got the knowing wrong.

When do they NOT want Starbucks? Are they asleep? Why didn't they ask?

These questions rolled around in my head, and I heard God's inquiry, "why don't you ask me for...

I took a sabbatical.  What I didn't know as I entered this rest was that the discouragement I had been going through would continue to crash on me.

Discouragement makes you lose hope, and you get spiritually tired. It can cause you to lose faith and begin to doubt God. Discouragement is a powerful attack from the enemy because it can cause someone to quit what God has called them to do.

This is exactly what I was feeling, daily I would offer to quit, I'd put this calling, this ministry, on the altar and ask God to take it back and he'd tell me "NO."

And in the throes of it, I'd get up and serve my clients and my family with every ounce of what I had in my tank. Then I'd crash. EMPTY.

God cares about our discouragement. He wants us to hang in there and keep going. He wants us to choose to trust Him and have faith; you know that Hebrews 11:1 stuff, the substance of things hoped for that is not based on what we see.

He wants us to stand firm and hold tight to His promises,...

Yesterday, we pulled the first Spring weeds: dandelions, purslane, and thistle. We raked out dead leaves and cut back the grasses, sage, and junipers. Dead and brittle branches were cut off trees.

Early spring can still look barren. And pruning before you see growth seems senseless. At least that’s true for me. 

It isn’t fun to partner with God this season, seeing so much more of me cut back and cut off. Tending to a garden of dead things. 

“Seriously, God. We’ve done so much work, in this area and that; it would be nice to see some fruit.”

Lovingly He speaks, "I am the Gardener. I cut off every branch in you that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit I prune so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1-2).

He’s teaching me through this garden labor; just like my landscaping needed spring cleaning, so does my heart. He’s showing me the clutter from my winter season. And dealing with anything...

A robin landed on my fence this morning, it is a beautiful sign of Spring, one I needed. This winter has been fierce with cold temperatures and record-breaking snowfalls.

I'm over it.

Ever been in one of those seasons and you're over it? You can't wait for it to end and the new one to begin?

It's hard not to grumble and complain when our heart is tired of the current season and we eagerly anticipate the next one. Isn't it.

Just this morning, I stood in the shower and had a very raw conversation with the Lord.

I reminded him (as if he needs reminding), that the last few years have been hard, there have been things I've been contending for and, frankly, I'm tired of plowing and planting and not seeing a harvest. Of watching the seeds just die in the ground. I'm tired of the wilderness and its barrenness.

I'm over it.

Yet I declare. I will see the promises of the Lord!

And then I remind him what those promises are; as if he didn't know.

Then, of course, God speaks to my heart right...