The Road Less Traveled

Note: This was not written to judge, shame, or condemn anyone. I believe that whether or not you wear makeup or high heels is ultimately between you and God. I know many kind, Godly women who wear makeup/heels, and I respect their right to make that choice. Issues of personal preference should not divide us as Christians. Ultimately, it's not what we wear that matters—it's what's in our hearts. That being said, I want to share my perspective on this issue because I feel like it's relevant to my life.  Reason #1: Makeup and high heels are expensive. • Makeup and heels come with a high price, both money-wise and body-wise. As Christians, we're called to be good stewards of our resources, including money. I feel that it's irresponsible to waste money on makeup and fancy shoes when it could be spent on more worthy causes. Also, we're called to treat our bodies as temples of God. I don't think that clogging my pores with makeup and exposing myself to all...

Competition is woven into the very fabric of our culture. It's as American as pickup trucks, John Wayne movies, and apple pie. Or so people say. My friends and I usually roll our eyes at whatever "latest and greatest" thing our culture rolls out. Personally, I don't participate in—or view—competitive events. I don't watch Cutthroat Kitchen or Toddlers & Tiaras. And I don't care who got an Oscar nomination or who won the Super Bowl. Why? Because those things aren't important to me. And they shouldn't matter to you—or to anyone else, either. Just so you know, I'm not saying this out of bitterness or resentment. I'm saying it from experience. As a child, I won my fair share of medals and trophies. By high school, I was obsessed with "being the best." My schedule was full of Honors classes and varsity sports. And you know what? All that pressure was just too much. But really, I'm not against competition because it puts too ...

Yesterday my church started collecting money and canned food for our "SOUPer Bowl Sunday." The donations go to our local food pantry, which is very small but still manages to serve thousands of people every year. Personally, I like to donate to my local food pantry because I can be sure that my money is going to a good cause. After all, food is one of our most basic survival needs. Good nutrition is essential, especially for children because they are still developing. And sadly, 21% of children in the U.S. are living in poverty—nearly double the rate of poverty for adults. Also, about 1 in 8 American households are food insecure, which means that they lack reliable access to a sufficient amount of nutritious food. This shows that poverty and malnutrition are not just problems that happen "somewhere else." They may, quite literally, be going on in your own neighborhood. So, which items are best for donating to your local food pantry? And which ones should you av...

"If you don't share with your sister, I'll take your ice cream away." Her tone was gentle yet firm. Her son, who appeared to be about 7 or 8 years old, pouted but didn't say anything. He clearly did not want to share his ice cream with his little sister, who didn't have any. "Why would you share your ice cream with me but not with your sister?" his mom continued. "That's rude." She wasn't harsh or angry toward her son, but she wasn't afraid to enforce the rules, either. Finally, he relented and gave his sister a spoonful of ice cream. Nowadays, it seems like that sort of parenting would be labeled mean or even abusive. (Though I prefer the term "basic human decency.") Recently I was talking to one of my friends about some of the larger families I've known where 2 or 3 children would have to share a bedroom. She was appalled! She told me that she believed it was wrong to make children share a bedroom for an...

Last week I visited my great-aunt, who is 82 years old and is on bed rest for an injured hip. She lives with my great-uncle, who is 92 years old and is in a wheelchair. I had the privilege of helping my great-uncle prepare dinner and clean the kitchen while my great-aunt rested. (Of course, she wanted to help, too, but I insisted that she follow her doctor's orders by getting some rest.) I also enjoyed talking to my great-aunt and keeping her company because I could tell that she was bored with just sitting in bed all day. Even though my great-aunt and great-uncle aren't very wealthy by worldly standards, they're rich in the eyes of God. They've stored up their "treasures" in Heaven by investing in home and family rather than fame and fortune. You don't have to look far to see that our culture values money more than it values people. Just look at all the toddlers in daycare and the elderly in nursing homes. Instead of putting family first, we run off...

Last night I was browsing The Mighty (an Internet community for people with illnesses and disabilities) when I came across the following post: As a person with ADHD, that post felt like a slap in the face. But let me tell you, I'm not here to judge Dara Lee (or others who feel the way she does). We've all been there. We've all said something that was well-intended but hurtful. It doesn't mean that we're bad people. However, even though we mean well, our words can still have a negative impact on those around us. So before we share our opinions with the world, it's important to ask ourselves, "Is this what Jesus would say?" Do you think that Jesus would say such hurtful things about people with ADHD, autism, and other learning differences? I sure don't. He created us, so obviously He loves us and has a purpose for us, just like He does for everybody else. No child is a "mistake." All people—including those with disabilities—are be...

“You have PCOS.”  Wait, what? I thought. Yeah, I’d heard of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I knew what it was. I just didn’t think it could happen to me—until it did. Last Monday, what I’d expected to be a routine doctor’s visit ended up being something totally different. Sure, I had a few complaints—weight gain, worse-than-usual acne, and wacky, irregular periods. But I assumed it wasn’t a big deal.  I was wrong.  For those of you who don’t already know, PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that happens when a woman’s body produces too many androgens (male hormones). Not only can it cause annoying symptoms like acne and weight gain, but it can also lead to serious health problems later in life. However, if it’s treated early (like in my case), many of those problems can be avoided.  Part of me was thankful. I was relieved to know why  I’d been struggling for so long. I’d been having weird symptoms for a few years, and I felt like my doctor wasn’...

Yesterday was my pastor J’s* last day working at my church. Last month, she announced that she was going to step down from her position because of some issues that had been going on in the church. Lots of people disagreed with her leadership, and the church was starting to suffer for it. J had been thinking about it for a while, and she knew deep down in her heart that her decision was in the church’s best interest. But still, I know it must have been an incredibly painful decision, and I am in awe of her selflessness and strength.  On Sunday, J gave her last sermon at my church. During the children’s message, she showed everyone a very special item from her “mystery bag.” The mystery item turned out to be a teddy bear that I’d made for J when she was having surgery a few weeks ago. She talked about how special that bear is to her because it reminds her that she is loved. I was in awe. J was facing hostility from all sides, yet she’d never forgotten that simple act of love. T...

I’m a college sophomore, and I’ve been packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child since I was a high school freshman. My high school Spanish Club packed shoeboxes every year, and I was always happy to help. In fact, I was so passionate about packing shoeboxes that my teacher made me Vice-President of the Spanish Club in 11th grade. That meant I was completely in charge of organizing our shoebox packing party...which was pretty chaotic, to say the least. But I’m grateful for the experience because I learned a lot about Operation Christmas Child.  First of all, I learned what NOT to put in a shoebox. Liquids (including toothpaste) are not allowed in shoeboxes. Candy, chocolate, and other food items are also off-limits. And—obviously—you shouldn’t put anything violent or war-related in the shoeboxes, because many children who receive them live in war-torn countries where the threat of violence is very real.  Also, I learned what to pack for the different age/gen...

I am brave I wonder if I’ll be okay I hear the roaring thunder I see rain pouring down I want to get better I am a fighter I pretend to be normal I feel lonely inside I touch the raindrops falling from the sky I cry to Jesus I am not alone I know that God is with me I see the rainbow after the storm I dream of a brighter future I try to be positive I hope for a cure I am a survivor