• Devotionals

    Dreams Are Complex

    [Guest Post by Abby Talsma – I’m always excited to meet a new friend so I can introduce you as well. I appreciate her words to use wisdom to find that fine line in your dreams. I know I’m guilty of forcing my dreams, but it’s through God and His wisdom that I learn to let them develop as they should and not one second before. What about you?] There’s this fine line with dreams. A fine line that separates two very different worlds. Going too far, or not going anywhere. Steamrolling whomever or whatever you need to, or burying your dream deep down where it cannot possibly breath or…

  • Devotionals,  Faith

    For Such A Dream As This

    [Guest Post by Tiffany Dawn – My friend Rayni Peavy introduced Tiffany to me, and I am in-love with her story. Like her, I also quit my job to pursue writing and speaking. It shows just how much passion she has to follow God first. If any of you are struggling to follow His leading, keep reading!] Wherever you are, God has known about this for years, before you had a clue. He has strategically set pieces in place so that at this moment in history you could do what He’s called you to do. Recently I’ve had the opportunity to walk into the dreams God planted in my heart…

  • Devotionals

    The Kermit Gosnell Trial

    [Monthly Contributor – Hannah Stovall – I specifically asked her to write an article about the Kermit Gosnell trial. In light of the Boston Marathon, we as Americans can’t be afraid. We can no longer afford to stay comfortable. What is happening in the world today is beyond horrific. Beyond disgusting. Beyond what any doctor should ever be tried over. I am grateful for Hannah for taking the time to present the facts, so you and I can stay informed.] It was years after his arrest that I first read the name Kermit Gosnell trial. On March 22 of this year, a sweet girl sent me a link to an…

  • Devotionals

    The Dream of Motherhood

    [Guest post by Elora Nicole Ramirez – If I would have attended last year’s Story Conference in Chicago, I would have had the pleasure of meeting Elora in person, but alas–I’ll have to wait until this year. I’m already connected to Elora through numerous people, and couldn’t wait to introduce you to her as well!] The dream of motherhood snuck up on me. When we got married, my husband and I made a quiet resolution to wait at least five years before having kids. We wanted to get to know each other. We wanted to be able to talk without tiny adorable fingers poking themselves ​in between us. And for…

  • Devotionals

    Pursue A Dream

    [Guest Post by Alexandrea J. Wilson. When I met Alexandrea through social media I wasn’t expecting to find such a warm-hearted person. She seriously exudes (is that a word?) self-confidence and passion (my kind of girl). I hope you’ll welcome her once again as she shares about which dream to pursue.] I have a confession. Sometimes I can feel really lost. I mean totally and completely lost. Not the lost where you need to turn on the GPS to find out how to get where you’re going. I mean the lost where I have so many passions, so many ideas, so many questions, so many desires that I don’t know…

  • Devotionals

    Becoming My Best Self

    [Guest post by Catherine Hawkins. I just met Catherine, and I am already glad we met. After submitting her first piece, I read it and thought how much I still feel this way. Maybe you or I will never quite feel like a grown up, but that’s okay too. Enjoy her piece!] When I was little, I pictured my future self as a fully functioning adult. I thought there would be one defining moment when I would suddenly say, Yes, I have become a woman, and the road after that would be solid and straight–no more of this winding uncertainty that seemed to be the mark of growing up. I…

  • Devotionals

    Follow God's Heart

    [Guest Post by Teryn O’Brien. I always appreciate it when people ask me if they can guest post, especially when they know they want to write about. I am encouraged to get to know Teryn and hope you will appreciate her piece. I can totally relate, by the way.] Growing up, I believed if I followed my heart and believed in myself, all my dreams would come true. Even in Christian circles, the thought persisted. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” The context of Philippians 4:13 was often overlooked. I could do anything I dreamed; Christ would always help me. In high school and early college,…

  • Devotionals,  Faith

    New Theme for April: Pursuing Dreams

    This April I am introducing a new theme on pursuing dreams. When I was in my early 20’s, I had a dream about my future. I was at a concert and I had a brochure of people’s pictures and where they would end up in 20 years based on the choices they were making today. I hoped to see my picture, and when I did I was immediately excited. In my picture, I saw that I was married and we had a daughter. I couldn’t wait for this dream to come true. I became very frustrated when the years 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 went by with no…

  • Devotionals,  Faith

    What's good about Good Friday?

    [Monthly Contributor – Hannah Stovall – I always appreciate the way Hannah’s writes about events with such child-like faith. As she writes about Good Friday, I can’t help but see the wonder from the point of view of a child.] Working in children’s ministry, my brain is constantly in kid mode, especially when it comes to holidays. What do they really think about Halloween? How exactly do they feel about Christmas? What is good to them about Good Friday? That was the big question at our midweek programming on Wednesday night. Small talk with littles quickly turned to the Divine when their wheels started turning. It was hard for them…

  • Relationships

    Becoming a Stay At Home Dad

    [Guest Post by Sonny Lemmons. One of the most humble and equally funny writers I’ve (never) met. Can’t wait to meet Sonny, an amazing stay at home dad/writer at Story Chicago Conference this Fall. I hope more people stop judging SAHD’s after reading this article.] I wish I could say that when Ashley and I got married there was a period of adjustment that was difficult. Because drama and tension always make great stories, right? I’d heard tales of horror from male friends who talked about the unbalanced selection of decorations in their now joint living situation (saying goodbye to exposed stereo wiring and unframed posters on the wall), the…