Celebrating Christ Beyond Holiday Tradition The holiday season is HERE, and Christmas is just a few weeks away! Growing up, the award for 'Mercedes' favorite holiday', hands down, went to Christmas. I can remember my family and I assembled the prickly, white faux tree we used every year. My father and brother managed the entire operation. Between sneaking candy out of the Christmas stockings hanging on the wall, when I wasn't supposed to (don't you dare judge me), I'd help as

The Watering Challenge

Jesus made it clear to the Pharisees that He didn't come to do away with the Law, but to completely fulfill it. As the fulfiller, He had the license to re-write our love story with our Father in Heaven by converting 'religion' into 'relationship'. I'm a huge fan of how Jesus disrupted the fakeness and hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders during that time. They looked good on the outside and seemed to be fruitful, but much like inedible decorative fruit, they were plastic in the Sp

Sharpening Our Effectiveness In This Secular World Back in my school days, I used pencils to write down notes, solve math problems, and to make free-hand drawings. Why use a pen, permanent marker, or another definitive writing tool when I could make a mistake at any point? Using a pencil gave me the grace to do what I needed to do, erase any mistakes I made along the way, and to continue with my task. As Believers, we are figurative 'pencils' -- living in a fleshy vessel, wit

Casting Cares, Fasting Fears, and Shedding Sin...

Making God The Final Authority

Living Distinctively...

The Time To Make REAL Changes & Align With God Is N-O-W!

Choosing To Align