Christianity
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Money is tight and times are tough
I grew up having enough to go by day by day. I was used to having limited resources (close to nothing) for leisure activities (like traveling to places, watching cinema, and shopping) that I never thought about having them as often as my peers would. Since I learned to budget my allowance in high school,… Read more
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What it feels like to grow up without a father
Death confronted me when I was four years old. I didn’t know what death or absence was until I learned I do not have what others do—a father. From the wide eyes of a child, I began to see families with mothers and fathers, and then I started to wonder why I don’t have somebody… Read more
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Finding peace in our struggles
There are lessons you learn only in the battle. David E. Sumrall As we go through a challenging season, relying on our abilities may feel like the surest way to overcome the struggle. But what I have learned is that having a posture of surrender—putting our hope in the Lord—is what makes the burden light.… Read more
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Action filter (based on James 3:13-18)
Today in church, Pastor Sumrall’s sermon reminded me of the importance of setting God’s wisdom as a guide for our actions, ensuring that we become a blessing to others. Because as a follower of Jesus, we must bring glory and honor to the Name of the Lord, not profane it. And we often dishonor the… Read more
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Belonging in 30s
While my twenties were more about seeking out what life had in store for me, starting my thirties made me feel a growing need for belonging. It isn’t just about having close friendships, having a sense of roots, feeling valued and respected by colleagues at work (for having valuable contributions), having a sense of shared… Read more
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Looking upward
In isolation during stressful moments, focusing on what’s at hand is easy because there’s nowhere for your attention to go except to what you are dealing with. And the anxiety could easily creep into your head in the form of relentless internal arguments about how things could go from bad to worse. When you isolate,… Read more
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Getting out of a cultural bubble
As a kid, I look forward to being exposed to different worlds of thought, which means that I will get to know other people who don’t speak and think like me because of varying cultures. I always think that “there’s a bigger world out there,” and it always excites me to meet and talk to… Read more
jessa 