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The Award Winning Blog



One of Those Days
God often gives us opportunities—quiet, ordinary moments that become “one of those days” where our words or actions make a real difference in someone else’s life, even when we may never fully see the impact. This isn’t meant to be a sentimental or overly warm reflection but something grounded and honest that we can all relate to. When we look to God’s Word, we’re reminded that meaningful impact is often found in simple obedience and everyday faithfulness.

Andy Hollifield
1 day ago5 min read


Rediscovering Passion: A Journey of Renewal
There are seasons in life when passion feels distant, when what once felt clear and meaningful now feels heavy or uncertain. In those moments, it is easy to wonder whether your voice, your work, or even your life’s direction still carries purpose.
Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Jun 193 min read


Spiritual Fitness
The bottom line is that any regular exercise routine always has health benefits. One would think that this would be a concern only for mature adults. However, today’s culture promotes a sedentary lifestyle for young children and teens steeped in screen-based recreation. This would not necessarily be a bad thing if it were not for the high-sugar, ultra-processed food that they choose. Poor diets and inactivity can be a harmful combination for the overall health of young people

David Reid Brown
Jun 125 min read


Kept From Breaking
It’s only through His grace and love that I’ve been kept from breaking. Our confidence in the Lord, grounded in prayer and biblical guidance, helped us through. God is faithful. He stands by us and guides us through every season of life. Accepting His will in trials and tough seasons is hard. But we can’t stand on our own and make it through death, disaster, or severe illness. We must rely on God’s strength because He alone is faithful.

Kathy Keenum
Jun 53 min read


Rise!
Though we all experience life’s challenges, not everyone manages to get back up. It may take a day, weeks, or even years. But Proverbs 24:16 promises that the righteous—believers in faith through Jesus Christ—will rise again. We may fall, but we don’t have to remain fallen.

Lilka Finely Raphael
May 292 min read


There Are Always Alternatives
I witnessed Randy use this phrase in problem-solving. He came up with creative ways to address situations. Sometimes, we on his staff would tell him, “That’s not a great idea.” Randy knew it wasn’t a perfect idea. But given the choices, he would see it through, and his team would have to admit his solution worked better than the alternatives.
I worked for Randy forty years ago, but have since applied this thinking throughout my life. Not only has this phrase led to creative

Cecil Taylor
May 153 min read


When Calamity Strikes
While we learn to walk through stressful seasons, we sometimes stumble for various reasons: perhaps weakness, selfishness, or a lack of faith in God. We lean on our own understanding rather than depending on God’s goodness and wisdom. But God knows our every need.

Evelyn Collins
May 84 min read


Words Matter
Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.—James 1:19-20 ESV “Lord Jesus! Why am I this angry, and why did I almost curse? " I muttered to myself as I sat at my desk, staring off into space instead of focusing on the pile of paperwork I needed to work on at my job. "This isn't who I am anymore." When I was in college, every other word out of my mouth was profan

Vonyee K. Carrington
May 13 min read


Victory Doesn’t Always Look Like Winning
I’ve lived with depression for a long time. I used to feel ashamed of it. Like if I were a better Christian, maybe I wouldn’t struggle the way I do. Maybe I’d be stronger, happier, or lighter. But I’ve learned that struggling doesn’t cancel out faith. Struggling doesn’t make you less than. And God doesn’t wait until we’re perfect before he calls us his. This verse in 1 John doesn’t say that victory comes from our strength or our performance. It says that our faith is the vict

Shai Johnson
Apr 174 min read


Forged by Fire: A Faith That Overcomes
I’ve experienced losing people I loved, losing things I worked hard for, and losing pieces of what I thought my life would look like. And if I’m being honest, those moments didn’t just hurt, they changed me. There were times I questioned everything, wondered why God would allow so much pressure, so much heat, and so much breaking. But then I started to see things differently. I thought about how steel is made.

Crystal Johnson
Apr 104 min read


Embracing Resilience: Finding Strength in Faith
Many of us have been there, wondering when we'll ever catch a break without strings attached. We want the job promotion without our children getting suspended and without trouble in the marriage. We want great relationships without sickness and disease robbing us of time spent with our loved ones. Yet even in the tension between setbacks and victories, God is still working.
Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Mar 273 min read


Restored… Just Not the Way I Planned
It feels like the more I’ve prayed… the more things have unraveled. Like I asked God to fix it and He said, “Let’s rebuild it”—and then started by tearing things down I wasn’t ready to lose. And if I’m honest… that part hurts.
Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Mar 203 min read


Yes, I can!
Instead of a promise to achieve our goals, it emphasizes the inner strength we find in Christ in times of trial and hardship, as well as in times of contentment and peace. We always need to rely on Christ for our strength.

Kathy Keenum
Mar 133 min read


Never Say Never
There was a period in my life when I was mentally and physically spent. My husband and I were raising two sons, one of whom has autism. I was also working at a job that required twelve hours of standing without a break and often without a meal. It was extremely stressful, and I wasn’t exactly young. I had long commutes, and my schedule was haphazard at best. However, it was necessary. Still, there were times I thought I would never make it. But God.

Lilka Finely Raphael
Mar 63 min read


Love Letters from God
But the heart has other feelings. Hearts break, hearts weep, and hearts cry out for help. Hearts cling to the warm, fuzzy feelings of love, but they also hold on to profound loss, sadness, fear, and doubt. If we’re expecting our lives to look like the perfect Hallmark movie, the odds of that happening aren’t always in our favor.

Colleen Howard
Feb 273 min read


Do The Right Thing
In the past few months, I feel the Lord has compelled me to use my writing and speaking in new ways. I have been speaking out about our country’s lack of commitment to biblical justice, as I understand it through prayer and contemplation. I’ve been using my gifts to serve God more boldly.

Cecil Taylor
Feb 205 min read


Who does God fight for?
We love the idea of God fighting for us. We pray and ask Him to step in and change our circumstances—the cancer diagnosis, the lawsuit, the struggling marriage, the wandering child. And often, He moves in powerful ways. But God’s faithfulness does not always look like immediate rescue or visible victory. Sometimes His work is quieter, deeper, and more mysterious than we expect. Scripture shows us that while God is always present and always good.
Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes
Jan 304 min read


When Stillness Feels Impossible
Here’s what I’m slowly learning. Letting go doesn’t mean I don’t care. Resting doesn’t mean I’m lazy. Being still doesn’t mean I’m failing. It means I trust that God loves my family even more than I do. It means I believe he’s working behind the scenes, even when I can’t see it. It means I choose to believe I don’t have to fight every battle on my own. That kind of stillness takes courage, especially when you’re used to doing it all.

Shai Johnson
Jan 233 min read


Unstoppable When I Let Go
When I hear the word unstoppable, I usually think of progress. Forward motion. Checking boxes and getting things done. I think of effort, determination, and pushing through no matter how tired I feel. But God has been teaching me that unstoppable does not always look like constant movement. Sometimes it looks like letting go and trusting him to take the lead.

Crystal Johnson
Jan 163 min read


KEEP MOVING FORWARD
We often face situations that seem insurmountable, with no way out or resolution. It may even feel like we’re going under for the last time. We may think our fate is sealed and that we have no hope. Common sense, logic, reason, and rational thought tell us to give up and accept our fate. Just toughen up and take it like a man. That’s the exact opposite of what we should do.

Andy Hollifield
Jan 94 min read
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