I believe all of the creation is covered with the fingerprints of a complex, powerful, divine being. For me, to deny the existence of God requires far more faith than I could ever hope to posses. Yes, I just said faith.

There’s simply no way around it. A measure of faith is necessary to believe or deny the existence of God. I think that is exactly why God chose to reveal himself in the way that He did. He had ample opportunities to give us answers to “the ultimate question,” yet he chose not to.

Why? Because God wants us to place our faith in Him. And if we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the object of our faith was worthy of our faith, well…it wouldn’t be faith anymore, would it?

This past week, I received an e-mail from a reader asking me the most fundamental question of all time, “How do you know there is a God?” My gut response is, “I have no doubt the God of the Bible exists. That He is who He claims to be, that He sent His Son to die on the cross for my sins, and that ever last word of the Bible is true.” I know because I placed my faith in Him long ago, and He has never – ever – given me reason to doubt His trustworthiness.

But, am I capable of proving to this seeker, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that what I believe to be true is actually true? No, I am not.

So instead, I crafted this reply:

You’ve posed one of the most difficult questions that exists. How do we know there is a God? The only way I can answer is to tell you what helped me when I asked the same question myself.

I was raised in a Christian home and had been told God and the Bible were true since I was a little kid. But when I reached my teens, I definitely went through a season of questioning EVERYTHING! 

The first step for me was deciding I’d rather believe in God than not. What do we have to lose if we live a life of belief only to discover at the end there is no God? Nothing. But if the God of the Bible exists and we decide not to believe in Him, we lose everything (an eternity of separation from God is a big price to pay for our unbelief).

After that, I started looking for facts to confirm the Bible was true. I found all the answers I was looking for in a book titled, “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” by Josh MacDowell. This book is packed with tons and tons of scientific research and evidence that the Bible is true, inspired, and trustworthy. This book really helped me see that I wasn’t a fool for believing the Bible, and once I realized that, my faith began to grow and I developed a vibrant personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

If you are struggling with questions about God, I challenge you to pick up a copy of Josh’s book and commit to reading it through. It’s not an easy read, but the information in that book gave me the courage to pray, “God, thank you for giving me the faith to believe you are who you say you are. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. Thank you for raising Him on the third day and for the gift of forgiveness & eternal life. You are worthy of my praise and I will I dedicate the rest of my life to serving you. Use me for your purposes, I am yours.”

If you’ve not yet prayed a prayer like that, maybe this book will help you in the same way it helped me. My prayer for all the seekers is that you find the courage to put your faith in God, the strength to believe with all your heart the Bible is true, and the power to dedicate your life to sharing this truth with others.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. -GOD {from Jeremiah 29:13}

Bible Study is an intimidating endeavor for all believers, even those of us who know how to do it “properly.” The Bible is a complicated book, and it’s easy to feel lost within its pages. The one thing we must never forget is that God has promised to meet us in those pages.

I have a beautiful Bible Study secret to share with you today. It’s almost too simple to be considered a secret, but don’t let the simplicity detract from the transformative power of this truth: You don’t have to be very good at Bible Study to get a lot out of it. You might feel like you are faltering and fumbling around, aimlessly journeying through the pages of God’s word —but that’s where the magic happens!

I have had the privilege of receiving a quality Christian education from a young age. My  library is packed with Concordances, Hebrew/Greek Study Bibles, Topical Bibles, Commentaries and a plethora of other books written to help people like me and you dissect and digest the powerful truths of Scripture. I love my reference tools, but I must confess that my most profound Bible Study discoveries occur when it’s just me, my Bible, and a willing spirit.

You see, the Bible is a living book. The God of the universe wrote it. And if He wants to teach me something, all I’ve got to do is show up. The problem, dear friend, is how often I fail to show up. How often we fail to show up. And I think it’s because we have bought into this lie that we need some tool or expert to help us understand God’s Word.

God is enough. He’s always been enough, and He’ll always be enough. The One who spoke all of creation into existence can and will speak to you through His Word. When you show up.

I’ve been showing up a lot lately, and God has been meeting me in the pages of His Bible. As I stumble and fumble, flip and flop through the Scriptures, I’m discovering the most freeing truths.

Showing up is not always pretty.
Showing up is not always organized.
But showing up is always effective.

The simplest answer is motherhood is my primary ministry, so ministry and motherhood are one and the same in my book. Because motherhood is #1 ministry, I must always be willing to set aside my “external” ministry goals for the sake of my family. Always!

Now that I homeschool my children (through an online educational program), I’ve discovered there is little distinction between motherhood and ministry. My children understand the importance of my work, and give me lots of time and space to get things done, but they are still kids and they still need mom to shut off the computer and play with them.

I’m coming to believe that my children are going to be my saving grace in ministry. They force me to take lots of breaks from my work, be very strategic about my schedule and ministry commitments, and make sure that I am practicing what I preach.

I also live next door to grandparents and am married to a very supportive man. Their support allows me to work and travel on the weekends with little guilt or concern. And our family schedule is very light. We only commit to a few things outside the home so there is lots of room for rest and family time.

I’ve confessed time and again that I’ve never been very consistent with my Bible Study routine. It’s sort of like exercise, isn’t it? We feel great when we do it, but oh, the mountains we must climb in our minds to get ourselves motivated to dig out those dusty running shoes.

I’ve never understood people who love running, but I do know that they truly do love it and they haven’t always. They say, “Just start, Sarah! You’ll love it if you just start.” I smile and nod, then sneak some chocolate from the cupboard and tell myself, “I’m just not a runner.”

I used to feel the same way about morning devotionals. It’s great for all those people, but not me. Just start, Sarah! You’ll love it if you just start.

I’ve started. Then stopped. Then started again. But, over the past few years something has changed. I’ve finally discovered that I need an infusion of Jesus Christ every morning, or I quickly get off track (or struggle to find the track at all).

The first step I made toward a healthier Bible study routine was reading Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest each day before I begin working on my computer.

It’s available free online at My Utmost for His Highest. It took me less than 5 minutes. A simple commitment. Every day.

After sticking with that for about six months, I was inspired to start a 1-year chronological Bible reading plan from Blue Letter Bible. I got really behind a few times, but I was able to finish it, and I cannot tell you how much this simple commitment has deepened my faith.

And, of course, I do write Bible studies. When I am working on a Bible study project, I can spend anywhere from 3-6 hours per day studying my Bible and resource materials. It’s definitely more of an academic pursuit than my personal quiet time, so I always try to make sure I take time just for me and God each day (and I succeed…most of the time).

I love structure. Having a plan. Plotting my course. The problem with being a planner is learning how to recover when life takes you off script. I used to get so worked up when I was forced to change from Plan A….to Plan B or C. I would spend a great deal of energy trying to convince God that He was making a mistake and reminding Him of how great my plans were.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

If there is one thing I’ve learned from life’s little detours it is this: God’s plans are always better than mine. Does that mean I should resist structure, stop planning, and leave my course unplotted? I don’t think so, and here’s why….

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

It’s not the urge to plan that is the problem; it’s believing the lie that having a plan gives me some element of control over my life and my work. It’s my failure to take that extra step and humbly submit my plans to the Lord and trust that Him to faithfully re-direct me if necessary. Are you a disgruntled planner? Easily frustrated when forced to shift from Plan A to Plan B?

The next time you face an unexpected detour, I encourage you to stop and think of the possibilities that this “change of course” may hold for you. Here are six reasons to invite God into the detours of your life:

To DIRECT You

The most fruitful paths are often exceedingly difficult. Sometimes roadblocks are the only way to get us to consider an alternate route. Detours allow God to lovingly direct us toward something that we may not have chosen for ourselves.

To EQUIP You

We never know what lies around the next bend, but God does. Detours give Him an opportunity to equip us for an unknown future.

To TRANSFORM You

Personal growth is seldom without pain, and how we deal with pain reveals what we believe about God. God can use the trials of this life to transform us into better people, but we must first believe that He has a plan for us.

To OBSERVE You

How we handle detours reveals a great deal about our character. Often, we don’t know what we are made of until we are forced to walk through a difficult situation. Detours allow God, and others, an opportunity to observe our faith in action.

To UTILIZE You

Sometimes, we need to be forced out of our comfort zone in order to be utilized by God. Detours give us an opportunity to re-direct our energy and be used by God to bless others. Difficult circumstances give us a unique opportunity to connect with others who have faced similar trials.

To REFRESH You

Detours have the ability to take us to a place of rest and restoration that we may not have discovered on our own. God knows what we need before we do, and what seems like a roadblock may become a catalyst for change deep within our hearts.

Every single time God has thrown a detour sign on my path, He has faithfully guided me through to the destination. Looking back, I am eternally grateful for the unexpected detours because they have taught me the value of resilience, faithfulness, and patience. I am learning to embrace life’s unexpected detours as they arrive; trusting that God has a plan and a purpose in them. Won’t you join me?

I was born into a loving Christian family and received Jesus Christ as my personal savior when I was four years old.   I made my public profession of faith and was baptized at Calvary Baptist Church shortly thereafter.  My family actively participated in the local church throughout my childhood, and I was educated at a private Christian school. In my early teens, I made a personal commitment to study the Bible in earnest and dedicated my life to serving God.

I was married to a fellow believer on July 4, 2004 and we have faithfully attended and served in our local church ever since.  We have two beautiful daughters who have both accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and are who we presently homeschool.  We attend Parkview Evangelical Free Church of Rapid City, SD, where my husband has served on the Deacon team.

My spiritual gifts include teaching, administration, and discipleship. I am also a passionate storyteller who enjoys using illustrations to communicate deep spiritual truths.  I believe in the literal translation of the Bible and have never found a problem or person beyond the reach of God’s living, active Word.

Do you ever find yourself struggling to understand God’s plan? I sure do!

Isaiah 55:8 says, “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.” God’s ways often feel foreign, frightening, and unfamiliar. The next verse in the chapter goes on to say, ““As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

No matter how fearful we are, dear friend, we can trust in the One who is fearless. God knows what lies around the bend, and He has promised to journey with us throughout all the seasons of this life. He gives us the strength to let go of what we cannot keep and the faith to grab hold of what we cannot lose.

Life is full of change, and change is scary! That is why I am so grateful that the God we serve will never change. “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:12

I’ve got a confession to make: I struggle with envy – all the time! As a mom, I’m constantly reminding my children that envy is ugly and it steals our joy, but it seems like I often miss the whole point of my own sermons. I’m not sure why humans (especially female humans) are so prone to envy, but I’m convinced that it’s a vicious cycle that we simply must break free from.

There are many different types of envy. There is her-grass-is-greener envy, and she’s-so-pretty envy, and her-everything-is-better-than-mine envy, and everything-comes-so-easy-to-her envy, and I could go on…but you get the point.

The secret to envy’s success is that it often pits our worst against her best. And you know what? Our worst will always feel second-rate when compared to her best. That’s a fact!

Proverbs 14:30 says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

Did you know that envy’s power-source is comparison? Without comparison, envy has no power over us.

So let’s both make a commitment to stop comparing ourselves to the other moms in the drive-through-lane at school, and the talented women at my church, and all the other amazing writers flooding the internet with their genius and start focusing all of the beautiful things God has to say about us.

Because who God says we are should be the very most important defining factor in our lives.

We are greatly loved by God (Rom 1:7), we are holy and blameless before Him (Eph 1:4), we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), we have the peace of God that passes understanding (Phil 4:7), we are God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10), we are Daughters of God (2 Cor. 6:18).

Wow….and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Here’s a fantastic list of Biblical truths that reveal who God made you to be. So let’s make the decision to unplug envy today. Only then will we be free to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us without being distracted or destroyed by it.

It’s not easy to share the good, bad, and the ugly with people you’ve never met.

Writing online is a whole lot like walking around Target with a piece of toilet paper stuck on your shoe and your skirt tucked into your panties. You don’t know it yet, but everyone you pass is judging you (and at the same time, feeling slightly better about themselves.)

And, although you are mortified when the older lady with short curly hair and bright pink lipstick pulls you aside and gently tells you that you might want to check your clothing situation, you immediately love her for being braver than the last 30 people you bustled by.

I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m all that different from you. My life is ridiculously normal and most days I don’t shower (so you are probably way ahead of me on the whole personal hygiene front). I am a wife, mom, friend, and daughter just like you.

I love Jesus, but I do so imperfectly. I love a clean house, but I’m a mom (just like water and oil, I’m convinced that kids and cleanliness don’t mix). I love my backyard chickens, but they aren’t laying me many eggs these days, so I’m starting to think it’s a one-sided relationship too. Fresh cut flowers and a hot cup of coffee are two things that make me feel more human and more alive than anything else in the world, and I wear the oddest combination of funky hats, infinity scarves, flowy tops,and clunky boots.

I really do want to share all of myself with you, not because I feel the need to be known….but because I feel that you need to know that you aren’t alone. No one has it all figured out, and perfection is a sham. Life is messy, but messes are fun when you are surrounded by great people to love you through them.

Did you know that the moment you accepted the free gift of Salvation, a beautiful metamorphosis occurred in your heart?

Whenever I think of metamorphosis, my mind immediately settles on the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly, but the Webster’s dictionary expands on this definition by explaining that it is also “change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means.”

Have you ever seen a butterfly crawling around on the ground, living the life of a caterpillar? Of course not! That is because the transformation was so complete that the caterpillar had no choice but to embrace her new identity and begin living the life of a butterfly.

Unfortunately, our spiritual metamorphose isn’t as easy to understand or accept.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we became a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are reborn, yet the reflection in the mirror remains the same. We are granted eternal life, yet the problems of yesterday still cloud our mind. We are loved and accepted, yet we feel insecure and unsure of our place in this world.

When we receive God’s love, abide in God’s love, and believe in God’s love — a beautiful metamorphosis occurs in our lives. But we have to learn how to live like a butterfly even though we still feel like a caterpillar!

The God who created us and transformed us is more than capable of teaching us how to live. He has provided “everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3).

By taking the time to regularly study God’s How-To Manual (aka the Bible), we can become proficient in all things butterfly and free ourselves from our caterpillar tendencies. Only then are we free to live according to God’s design!

• Completed training for Biblical Counseling at Christian Life Ministries in Rapid City, SD.
• Attended Precept Ministries Institute of Training in Chattanooga, TN and received certification as a Precept Bible Study Leader.
• Experience as Keynote speaker for various ministries, including Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), and Church Groups.
• Served on Local MOPS Leadership Team in various roles, including Small Group Leader, Small Group Coordinator, and MOPS Coordinator.
• Training and Experience as a Pregnancy Peer Counselor with the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Rapid City, SD.
• Completed YWAM Discipleship Training School in Townsville, Australia and served as a short-term missionary in New Zealand.
• Experience teaching Sunday School classes to children and adults, organizing and directing Vacation Bible School and leading in-home Bible Studies and family groups.
• Currently attending Dallas Seminary; pursuing a Masters of Arts in Christian Education.

Recently, I stumbled upon a woman’s prayer group at my church. My motives for joining them were not rooted in a desire to pray, but rather a desire to spend time with a friend who was leading the group temporarily.

But one prayer session with those ladies, and I was hooked. There is an amazing connection that happens between souls that pray with one another. I could not explain it, but I knew I needed more of it.

I have been attending this prayer group faithfully ever since, and the women have quickly become my confidants and cheerleaders.  I feel like I lose 5 pounds every time I meet with these women to pray —because together we lay our heavy burdens down at the foot of the cross, and we walk away, trusting that God is able.

James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

It takes a lot of courage to confess your sins to one another, to pray with one another, to share your burdens with one another. But there is power when we walk in obedience and promise when we choose to pray as a community. As my mom’s sister likes to say, “Prayer is part of our benefits package.”

She is so right! Prayer strips us down and rebuilds us, humbles and inspires us, and teaches us to believe. Are you burdened , overwhelmed, or fearful? PRAY. Are you joyful, grateful, awestruck? PRAY. And don’t keep all of those prayers to yourself, share them with someone who needs them. Don’t be afraid to speak those prayers out loud, to meet with others for the purpose of uniting in prayer, to become bold and brave with your prayers.

I’m so glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone and into my own prayer community. And if you aren’t already meeting regularly to pray with other Christians, I would encourage you to seek out a group (or start your own) today. God is mighty and He is waiting for us to unite together and…ask, seek, knock.

Are you weary of wearing of waiting for….

…Mr. Right to show up and sweep you off your feet.
…that long-overdue promotion at work.
…God to bless you with a child to call you mommy.
…relief from the never-ending financial or marital struggles.
…an authentic circle of friends to belong to and draw strength from.
…a chance to live out the calling that God has woven into your soul.

I’m here to tell you that God is at work in the midst of the waiting. God always fulfills His promises, but He rarely does so quickly. God used seasons of waiting to shape Abraham, Joseph, and Moses into great men, so why wouldn’t he do the same for us?

There is no doubt that God had great plans for these men, yet each and every one of them had to endure a season of waiting. I can assure you that these men and women grew weary in waiting, yet every single one of them eventually experienced the fullness of God’s promises in their lives. And you will too. It just may not come as quickly as you would like it to.

As Oswald Chambers once said, “When God brings the blank space, see that you do not fill it in, but wait. The blank space may come in order to teach you what sanctification means, or it may come after sanctification to teach you what service means. Never run before God’s guidance. If there is the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Whenever there is doubt — don’t.“

So as you wander through this season of waiting, I encourage you to be patient and trust God to fulfill His promises in His perfect timing. And finally, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

Continuation of question: I’ve been told that a woman (basically) has no voice, and that she should ‘shut her mouth’ on more than one occasion. To me, it makes sense for a woman to be quiet during service, that’s respectful…but outside? In her own home? In my heart, this doesn’t feel right. 

When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I have a type A+ personality and “driven” is a mild term to describe my way of attacking life. Because of my limited energy, and the fact that my pain levels go through the roof when I am stressed, I have been forced to learn the art of rest and balanced living.

In the years since my diagnosis, I have experienced many highs and many lows when it comes to my health. At my worst, I am only able to function a few hours a day. At my best, I can almost convince myself I am normal.

My constant aim is to eliminate the lows, and unfortunately, when it comes to fibromyalgia, that means eliminating the highs as well. You see, when I feel great…I just want to go, go go! But if I do that, I am setting myself up for a crash.

Slow and steady is the absolute best approach for me. {Read More Here}

My husband has made me promise not to commit to Bible study release dates until I am 100% done writing the study. Bless his heart, he’s just trying to look out for me (and my health). That said, I am always working on our next study and aim to release 1-3 new Bible study resources each calendar year.

That’s awesome! We love supporting other Christian writers. We accept guest post submissions three times each year. Click Here to learn more about our writer guidelines and submission process.