Author Archives: JourneyToJireh

“Sorrow is better than laughter; when the face is sad, the heart grows wise.” – Ecclesiastes 7:3 This verse is pretty much the opposite of what we have been taught our entire life. We seek joy, fulfillment, education, and wealth as a way to find happiness, but often, we are foolish with how we getContinue reading “Sorrow is better than laughter”

Your words have power. In 2019, Jeff Schiefelbein flew to Columbus to be our YCP speaker. I had just joined the leadership team and was blessed to have dinner with him beforehand. At the event, his speech was powerful and convicted me in a variety of ways. Fast forward to this weekend, where I wasContinue reading “Your Words Have Power”

Some days, anger erupts in me. Something small enflames my insides and puts me down a path of bitter frustration for hours. Something so novice, so trivial. I haven’t seen that anger in a while. While life has been challenging, I have worked hard to curb those reactions. To trust in the Lord. To growContinue reading “Answering Anger”

My mood is often determined by the weather. Every winter, I get a bit of a depression. I gain weight, lose joy, and isolate through the cold, bleak weather. In the spring, my mood lightens as the days become longer and lighter. The warm weather and extended daylight bring irrevocable joy to my heart. ToContinue reading “The Unfathomable Beauty of Creation”

Tonight, as I speak with or hear about various friends going through deep hardships, especially with their home situations and children, my heart breaks. These are incredible, loving people that have been dealt a really rough hand. I can’t help but wonder what God seeks to accomplish through their story. I’m sure there are deeperContinue reading “Hidden Hardships”

Tonight, on the Passion of Jesus Christ, I feel the weight of His death. I recognize how easy every part of my life has been to this moment and the grace God has extended to me. Yet, one of my repetitive sins is complaining. I haven’t narrowed my complaints either – from things so ridiculouslyContinue reading “My Sins Drove the Nails – The Passion”

What break up changed the trajectory of your life? We see time and again, a musical artist goes through a break up and finds the passion to write again, soaring their career as they bring in number one hits. A break up forces a change, makes our minds reset and/or floods our emotions. These distinctContinue reading “What break up changed the trajectory of your life?”

I’ve had some major life changes lately and it has left me with free time I am not used to having. While sitting in the stillness was uncomfortable at first, it’s become a blessing and something I’ve begun to anticipate each evening. I enjoy the reset, the calming of my mind and the uninterrupted explorationContinue reading “Embracing Stillness”

For the last several years, the Notes app in my phone has become my journal. I have a passion for writing, but the thought of a journal always got in the way. Somehow, jotting down the words in the Notes was somewhat easier and satisfied my need for perfection with the ability to massage theContinue reading “Jireh – God Will Provide”

Life must go on and people forget my pain, Most never even knew. Yet inside, my heart grows weaker,It’s been a whole month without you. Spring arrives and the rain matches my mood,The house feels far too big for just me. I sit here still in loneliness and reminisce upon your memory. That goofy grin,Continue reading “The Grief Remains”

Let’s talk about mission. Personally, spiritually, professionally. My goal is to live my life on mission in every one of those areas, and the past year has been so full being able to do just that. Personally, I am a licensed foster parent and have been able to provide respite care for the most joyfulContinue reading “The risk of living life on Mission”

My life is filled with stuff. Rooms are filled with physical things that I don’t use or need. There is just clutter. I have spent much time purging and cleaning these rooms the last few weeks until order has been restored, but it is still just stuff. It doesn’t bring fulfilment or draw me closerContinue reading “Discovering the true bread of life”

“If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; If you call the sabbath a delight, and the Lord’s holy day honorable; If you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice — Then you shall delight in theContinue reading “I will nourish you.”

On day 1, I was nervous. How would this 5-year-old feel going into a stranger’s home and staying the night? Would she be nervous, scared, overwhelmed? To my surprise, when I pulled up, you ran up with a next level joy I can’t even explain, gave me a hug and said “Hi, I’m D! IContinue reading “Handprints on my heart”

Raw emotion. We don’t share enough of it. We filter what the world sees because it’s harder to be vulnerable and let our walls down. I’m often guilty of it but the Lord has nudged me to be more vulnerable with those I encounter over the last year. To share my struggles and pain, forContinue reading “The raw, ugly side of fostering”