The First Five Things I Learned as a Lead Pastor
Two years ago today – I remember it so clearly. The day I became a lead pastor. I remember laying in bed the night before, unable to sleep. I remember standing in front of that room full of people, wondering if they would accept me, if I would know what to do to lead them. I had so many ideas – so many solutions to problems that seemed so easy.
The reality was going to be so much different than what I expected.
To the Father of an Independent Daughter
She was one of those girls I’m drawn to. Messy and wild. Fire in her eyes. Grit in her spirit. She’s not the first of her type that has sat across from me, dreaming and boiling over with what God is doing in her. She’s not the first of her type who has shrugged off her relationship with her dad while swallowing her water.
We Didn't Talk About Women
From that moment on, most of the women I met introduced themselves as pastors. Preachers. Priests. Professors at seminaries. Almost every woman I met had a life entrenched in the ministry. Pastors were referred to as ‘she’. It felt shocking.
No One is Brave
Everyone is so much braver than I am. I don’t feel brave at all. I feel scared most of the time. I feel like a faker – like if people really knew me, the real me, they wouldn’t think I was capable of anything.
Faithfulness Isn't Sexy
I had been valuing passion over faithfulness. I wanted people to see that I was passionate, but what my team and the church needed was someone who was faithful.
On Grabbing and Stuff
If you want to see more young women in ministry, especially in ministry overseas, you have to raise them to understand that it is never acceptable to be spoken about in such a way that it makes you want to hide.
Give it Away Now
There are days when a thought sneaks into my head about how she's younger and cooler than me. How she's better at this than I am. How I am obsolete or too old or too uncool. How she will go further than I have.
4 Ways to Nurture Your Daughter's Ministry Call
Begin to open the door for her now. Begin to instill in her a boldness and an unapologetic desire for the advancement of the Gospel.
They Named Me Bold
Why pray for our daughters to be filled with the Spirit if we are not going to let the Spirit speak through them?
An Unanswerable Question
How do I convince young people in today's church that the ultimate prize is not marriage but a life unwaveringly committed to the cause of Christ? I model it for them. I ask you to do the same - married or single. We open our hearts and our homes to one another as the family of Christ.
The Stages of Missionary Life
So you wanna know what it's really like to be a missionary? Well there's a lot to it, but here's a glimpse inside the process of the beginning of a missionary journey...
Dear Single Girl (An Open Letter)
All those youth group sermons where you made lists of the qualities of the man you would marry - did anyone tell you that you can have a full, abundant life following the path God has laid out for you without waiting?