From Cardboard Desks to Kingdom Purposes

 Suggested Reading: Exodus 2-3

The love of teaching has been with me since childhood. I can vividly remember being around eight years old, turning large cardboard boxes into makeshift school desks. I’d sit my younger cousins at their "desks" and pretend to teach them something.  It felt natural.  Years later, during one of our final youth group nights in my senior year of high school, I experienced a moment that forever marked me. With eyes closed and heads bowed in prayer, our pastor said, “Some of you are called to shepherd and teach.” Then he asked those who felt that call to stand.

That night, I stood and with that simple act, the confusion about which college major to choose ended. I switched from accounting to education.

From a young age, Moses’ parents saw something in him, something worth protecting. When they looked at their baby boy, they recognized his potential and importance.

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” —Hebrews 11:23

Later, God would call Moses to a specific and powerful task: to confront Pharaoh, perform miracles, and lead the Israelites out of 400 years of slavery.  Moses was called to be a prophet, someone who would speak on God’s behalf.  He would spend the rest of his life living out that calling.  Moses’ calling wasn’t about him or for him, it was about God and it was for others.  

I graduated from college ready to fulfill my calling in the classroom.  After marrying a handsome airman, we moved to a small city in Mississippi where teaching jobs were nowhere to be found. What I pictured wasn’t happening.  I felt disheartened and lost. The only job I could find was at a children’s consignment store, $7.50 an hour, selling used kids’ clothes. 

This was the wilderness where I learned that no matter the season, vocation, or circumstance, God would show me a way to live out my calling and I would teach. 

So, I aimed to be the best sales representative I could be.  Without children of my own yet, I immersed myself in learning everything about clothing brands, toys, and products so I could serve every customer with knowledge and care. And since I couldn’t find a school to teach in, I volunteered at our church teaching a 5th-grade Bible study for young girls. God was still using me to teach, just not in the way I had originally pictured.

When I became a stay-at-home mom to my first baby, I itched to be back in the classroom. That’s when God flipped my idea of calling being tied to one single career. I started this blog as an outlet and discovered the world of online learning. I began creating sewing tutorials to help others learn. I realized it doesn’t matter who, what, where, or when… if God calls me to teach, I will answer the call.

Now, as a mother, I look at my own children with the eyes of Moses’ mom. I see their beauty, their worth. I know their ultimate purpose is to love and glorify God. He has given each of them a unique call (many of which are expressed in Ephesians 4:11–12). He’s equipped them with physical and spiritual gifts to meet the needs of their generation.  Just like Moses’ mom saw, protected, and prepared him for his future, it’s my responsibility to do the same with each of my children.

❓Reflective Questions:

• Do I know what God has called me to?
  
  

• Can I be content with the current way I’m living out my calling?
  
  

• How am I growing in my character and gifts to support my calling?

• Can I see the gifts and callings in others?
  
  

• Do I speak encouragement over their giftings and call out their purpose with life-giving words?

🙏🏻 Prayer:

Lord, give me eyes to see my children the way You do. May I see and speak over them the potential and future you have given them. Show me the plans You have for them, and help me guide them in the way they should go, so that when they grow old, they will not depart from You or Your ways.

Reveal the gifts they have, both physical and spiritual, and show me how to nurture them.  My focus is not on medals, recognition, or awards. Those are temporary and fleeting. My focus is to prepare them to recognize, speak about, and live out their calling. Whatever they do in each season is only the avenue through which their calling is expressed.

Give me wisdom and discernment to develop their character in ways that support their calling. May they not be distracted by comparison or envy, but stay focused on who You’ve called them to be.  And whatever they do, I pray they do it with all their heart, as working for You and not for man.

Help them live a life worthy of their calling, desiring only to glorify You.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

A Fresh Way to Read Exodus This Passover

I attended a small Bible college, majoring in elementary education with a minor in Biblical Studies. Of all my professors, my Old Testament professor had the greatest impact on me. His class had no tests, no memorization yet I retained more from his class than from any other course. His approach left me hungry to learn more. The only assignment? Read the entire Old Testament and engage with the text.

His very simple format was a one size fits all, for the newbie or the well versed.  That semester, I fell in love with the Old Testament.  My mind was trained to ask questions, make connections, and see the Bible as one seamless, overarching story.

As we approach Passover, a group of us will be studying the first fifteen chapters of Exodus using this same format, and I’d love for you to join us! I’ve linked the first five pages on Canva HERE or in drop box HERE to get you started.

How It Works

Each day this week, you’ll read one chapter and fill in the following sections:

📖 SUMMARY:
Write a brief, two- to three-sentence summary of the chapter. If a particular verse stands out to you, note it here!

❓ QUESTIONS:
Jot down any questions you’d ask God as you read, even the ones you may never fully understand this side of eternity. Asking questions is a powerful way to deepen your study and grow in conversation with Him. Many of my own studies have gone deeper simply because of the questions I’ve asked.

🔗 CONNECTIONS & APPLICATION:
Write down any connections you notice to other parts of Scripture. For example, Pharaoh’s decree to kill all newborn Israelite boys mirrors King Herod’s order to kill all male children under two. What patterns do you see? What lessons can you apply to your own life?

I encourage you to invite a friend or have your kids join in.  Studying Scripture together makes the experience even more meaningful.

Let’s dive in and discover the richness of God’s Word together!

Discovering True Rest

I have always been someone who pours my heart into everything I do, striving for excellence in my endeavors.  But when that drive became entangled with an unhealthy need to prove I was “good enough,” I found myself caught in an endless cycle of work.  I became a workaholic, running on empty until I reached the point of burnout.  The boss, seeing my exhaustion, encouraged me to attend a life changing retreat in Montana.  It was a five day encounter with the Lord that transformed my faith and perspective.

The first question they asked at the retreat was, “What is your greatest need from God?” Without hesitation, my answer was rest.  At the time, I believed rest meant simply doing nothing, sitting still to recharge.  But that week, God revealed a deeper truth: rest is more than physical stillness. True rest is for the body, mind, and soul. It is found in the refreshing gifts God provides.

During that retreat, I reconnected with my artistic side, something I had long pushed aside as “unproductive.”  I was refreshed as I sat outside painting in awe of his creation.  I returned home with an insatiable hunger to learn more about true rest. I spent the next year studying Scripture, searching for God’s design.

True rest comes when my heart is at peace, fully trusting that my plans are submitted to Him, He is working all things for my good.  Rest is fond in creating with my hands; whether through painting, kneading homemade bread, or simply engaging in something that stirs my soul.  Rest is the weekly restoration of Shabbat, a time for my family to connect with our Heavenly Father, one another, and bless one another around the table.

This longing to understand rest more deeply also led me to study the Biblical feasts, uncovering the beauty of God’s appointed celebrations. As we approach Passover, I wanted to share some of the resources I’ve gathered and the significance of this feast in my life.

Passover is a time to remember how God delivered the Israelites from physical bondage in Egypt, foreshadowing how Jesus, our Messiah, delivers us from spiritual bondage.  Every year, I carefully plan and prepare this special meal for my family. Though we pray through the same blessings annually, God always reveals something new to me.

Last year, I was deeply moved by the realization that for thousands of years, families have lit candles and recounted the Exodus story of the blood covering the doorposts, the sign that saved them from the angel of death. This same meal was the one Jesus shared with His disciples, where He revealed that the matzah they broke symbolized His body and the wine they drank represented His blood, shed for us.

He is the same God then as He is today. 

🙏🏻 As we approach this holy week, I’m turning this praise song, Same God, into my prayer:

I'm calling on the God of Jacob. Whose love endures through generations.
I know that You will keep Your covenant.
He heard His children then; He hears His children now.
He was providing then; He is providing now.
He moved in power then; He moves in power now.
He was the healer then; He is the healer now.
He was the Savior then; He is the Savior now.
He is the same God.
We stand on His faithfulness.

May this season of Passover remind us of His unchanging love and the rest we find in Him.

📖 RESOURCES 

If you would like to know more about Shabbat or Passover here are some of my favorite resources:

BOOK ABOUT FEASTS

🍞 SHABBAT

How to from Messianic Pastor

Sermon from Rabbi Greg Hershberg

Documentary 

🍷 PASSOVER

 

Messianic Seder Full Version How To

Messianic Seder Short Version How To

Teaching Slides about Passover

Haggadah for Classroom

SHEMA (prayer that is spoken or sang at feasts)

 📝 PRINT OUTS

Shabbat Prayers

The Spiritual Discipline of Celebration

Faith Through Trials: Trusting God in Health Struggles

 Suggested Reading: Genesis 22

In my late twenties, after months of abdominal pain and severe symptoms, a doctor told me I might have colon cancer. However, a colonoscopy revealed that I had ulcerative colitis which is an autoimmune disease that weakened my immune system and led to other complications.  During the time my stomach was healing, I also had chronic hives and a severe allergic reaction to xanthan gum, which caused anaphylaxis.

When my health struggled, so did my faith. I wondered if I would ever get better. My gastroenterologist didn’t guarantee that I could live without medication, but he allowed me to explore a natural path to healing and remission. The journey was filled with tears, frustration over food restrictions, and a deep sense of loss. For a time, I believed this would be my life forever.

Alongside a strict diet and regular exercise, I realized another crucial change needed to happen was my mindset. No more pity parties. No more dwelling on sickness. My spirit didn’t have to align with how my body felt. Though my body was weak, my spirit was strong. God wanted me to believe that healing was possible. With His guidance, I could get well. My constant prayer became that of the father in Mark 9:23-25: Lord, help my unbelief.

(God provided the most delicious birthday cake within the dietary restrictions I had to be under)

A little over a year later, I experienced a breakthrough.  I came home with a pizza from Whole Foods, my immune system much stronger. My husband watched me, both reluctant and hopeful, wondering if I would break out in hives. I ate the slice and had no bodily reaction.

In that season, I surrendered my health to the Lord.

📖 I reflected on one of the last recorded stories of Abraham’s life and asked myself: How could he trust God so deeply? When the Lord asked him to lay his only son on the altar, how did he still believe in God’s promise of legacy? Abraham’s confidence was evident in his response when Isaac asked where the lamb was for the burnt offering, Abraham answered,

 “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” (Genesis 22:8)

I believe what led to Abraham’s obedience was he had seasoned faith that had been tested and strengthened through years of walking with God.

Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). The first moment Abraham heard God’s voice, he chose obedience. He had witnessed God’s hand over his life, even in moments of failure when he tried to take matters into his own hands. Through it all, God remained faithful, guiding him back to the right path.

Abraham’s Faith-Building Experiences:

• Hearing God’s voice and instruction to move (Genesis 12)

• Promise of a son (Genesis 16)

• God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17)

• Angels confirming Sarah would bear a son (Genesis 18)

• Interceding for his nephew Lot (Genesis 19)

• God correcting Abraham’s deception through King Abimelech’s dream (Genesis 20)

• The birth of Isaac and a future for Ishmael (Genesis 21)

Abraham trusted God enough to lay his son Isaac on the altar because he could testify to His faithfulness time and time again.

This year, as I’ve faced another round of unexplained hives and histamine reactions, I know I can trust God because of my own faith-building experiences. I’m grateful that, apart from being uncomfortably itchy, my autoimmune diseases have remained in remission. Unlike before, when a health crisis would cause me to spiral into fear and self focus, I now look to God for guidance  just as He has led me in the past to the right doctors and treatments.

I trust that He will either heal my body or give me the strength to endure. And through it all, I have peace that surpasses understanding because I’ve seen Him move before.

And in moments of doubt, my prayer remains: Lord, help my unbelief.

❓Reflection Questions

1. What does it look like to walk with the faith of something I do not see yet?

2. What are my faith building experiences?

3. What keeps me from having faith? (ex. Familiarity, disappointment)

4. What does my behavior and my words say about my belief? 

🙏🏻 Prayer

Lord, you are a God who is trustworthy.  Time and time again you have shown me your faithfulness and goodness.  Your word says that whatever I ask for in prayer, you want me to believe that I have received it.  I pray that if it is in your will for me to receive that you would bring my prayer to pass.  When I am in doubt, help my unbelief and remind me that you are a God who is able to do exceeding abundantly more than we could ever ask or think.  I pray your will be done in my life as you provide through an answer prayer or strength to endure.  Thank you for hearing my prayer and being the light that guides my path. 

Breaking Free from Abandonment: Finding Hope in God

Suggested Reading: Genesis 21:14-18

I was one year old when my mom left me in my grandma’s care to escape my abusive biological father. I was thirteen when her depression reached its peak, and for a few years while she was healing, my siblings and I were cared for by extended family. By fifteen, she had no choice but to spend weekends working to support us.

Though my mom did her best and brought good into our lives, these gaps left me feeling alone and abandoned as a child. My circumstances shaped a narrative that I would always struggle with abandonment issues. I owned that story, and it brought difficulties in relationships, trust issues, emotional instability, and anxiety.  I believed these challenges would plague me for life. But the truth was, my narrative wasn’t the full picture.

Hagar’s story in the Bible also came with family dysfunction.

The short version of the drama in Genesis 16 begins with Sarah, who was promised a child but took matters into her own hands. She had her husband, Abraham, sleep with her servant, Hagar, who then became pregnant with Ishmael. In her pride, Hagar began to mistreat Sarah (Genesis 16:4). Later, when Sarah gave birth to Isaac, she sent Hagar away.

Hagar became the first single mom in scripture. Though Abraham sent her off with bread and a skin of water, it soon ran out. Desperate and not knowing what to do, she laid her son down, unable to bear watching him die. She sat opposite him, lifted up her voice, and wept. It seemed as though Hagar was abandoned, left with nothing but a pile of troubles she couldn’t escape.

But then, the Lord sent an angel to tell Hagar:

“Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is… Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.” 

Genesis 21:17-19

It was Hagar’s desperation that led to surrender. Her surrender opened her eyes to provision and reminded her of a promise.

Somewhere along the way, Hagar must have forgotten the promise God made at the beginning of her ordeal.  He had told her that He would greatly multiply her descendants. Even though Ishmael was conceived in sin, God had a plan for his life and would provide for him (Genesis 16:11).

In my own wilderness season, when I cried out to the Lord and surrendered my narrative for His truth, He opened my eyes to see. Even though I was born into a marriage of abuse, God had a plan for my life (Psalm 139).  As I looked back at one, thirteen, fifteen, and beyond I saw His provision. The people who stepped in: family, friends, teachers. The abundance of grace and mercy He gave me, even when I didn’t deserve it. My narrative shifted from abandoned, broken, and helpless to knowing the God who sees.

The truth is, God was always with me. He never left me or forsook me. Now, I live knowing that He is the one who restores what has been damaged or broken. He is the God who makes all things new.

Though my relationship with my mom remains difficult, I do my best to extend grace to her because I, too, am an imperfect mom who has made many mistakes. I have spoken many apologies to my children and will continue to do so. They may carry different wounds from my choices, sins, and life circumstances, but I pray that, as it was for me, it will be for them. When they find themselves in a wilderness of pain, crying out for help, I trust that the God who sees will open their eyes to the truth when they surrender.  His Word is sufficient to meet all their needs. 

I Praise God that because of Him, even when we are victims, we do not have to live like victims.

❓Questions for Reflection

1. Are there any narratives from my past that are keeping me in bondage?
2. In wilderness moments, who do I cry out to?
3. How has God worked in my past, and how is He working in my present?
4. Do I find it difficult to surrender my narrative to the Lord?

🙏🏻 A Prayer

Lord, thank You that You are the God who sees. When I cry out to You and surrender, You open my eyes to see the truth. You reveal Your provision and remind me of the promise that You created me for a purpose. My circumstances or trauma may say I am abandoned, broken, wounded, and hopeless, but the truth is that You are with me. You have the power to heal, restore, and make all things new. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Breaking Free From Procrastination

 “Delayed obedience is disobedience.”

-Rabbi Greg Hershberg

Suggested Reading: Genesis 19

For many years, I accepted procrastination as a normal part of life, a branch on my vine. I grew up in a culture where arrival times were suggestions, not commitments. I was never taught how to manage my time or set priorities, and focusing felt nearly impossible.  As a result, I left many projects unfinished and abandoned dreams along the way, largely because of my struggles with ADD tendencies. The excuses I used to justify my procrastination were endless.

The truth is, I never considered procrastination to be a sin, until I heard Rabbi Greg Hershberg exhort that even in the smallest of duties the Lord has given us, delayed obedience is disobedience.

Procrastination is willfully putting off something you are supposed to do. It leads to broken promises, a lack of diligence, and missed opportunities.  It’s a sneaky sin, robbing me of blessings and delaying my steps into what God was calling me to do. It caused destruction in my life. Procrastination was a siren I ignored, one that was warning me about deeper heart issues and other sins I was avoiding.

📖 We see the danger of procrastination clearly in the story of Lot, as God saves him from the judgment and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Before Lot received his warning to leave, God revealed that sin had reached its limit. Lot invited the men (who would ultimately warn him) into his home, only to have the men of the city demand:

“Bring them out to us so that we may have relations with them.” (Genesis 19:5)  The men, believed to be angels, intervened striking the mob with blindness. Then came the clear instruction:

“Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place.” (Genesis 19:12)

At first, Lot responded quickly and warned his sons-in-law, but they thought he was joking. Could their reaction have influenced Lot to doubt the urgency of God’s message? Did their disbelief cause him to question God’s messengers? For whatever reason, Lot went to sleep instead of leaving immediately.  Even so, God’s mercy prevailed the next morning, the angels physically seized Lot’s hand and dragged him and his family out of the city.

Like Lot, I too have been given clear instructions from God that I either doubted, ignored, or delayed acting on. But after hearing Rabbi Hershberg’s words, and with God’s help, I’ve started surrendering my excuses to uncover the areas where procrastination is wreaking havoc.

Relationships
People-pleasing caused me to put others’ needs ahead of the priorities God gave me. I overcommitted to people and activities.

I avoided confronting offenses because I hated the messiness of resolving conflict. But ignoring those issues only strained relationships further and robbed both parties of the chance to mature through biblical conflict resolution.

Excuses
“This is just how I am.”
“I was never taught.”
“I’m not good at this.”

These phrases became my security blanket. Although they carried some truth, they also kept me from believing that through the power of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God I could break free from procrastination.

Lack of Discipline
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful.” (Hebrews 12:11)

It’s humbling to allow God to continually show me the areas where I lack discipline: caring for my health, managing my time, handling my emotions, and learning to complete tasks before indulging in recreation.

Procrastination may seem harmless, but it produces chaos, overwhelm, discouragement, and relational strain. It has delayed blessings in my physical life, my relationships, and kept me from taking action on what God was calling me to do.  Breaking free from procrastination started with repentance and seeking help when it shows up in my life.

❓Reflection Questions

1. Do I have a clear vision for my life and defined priorities?

2. What decisions or tasks, big or small, have I delayed?

3. In which area of my life am I most prone to procrastinate: home, relationships, work, or health?

4. What consequences or missed opportunities have I already experienced because of procrastination?

5. What’s at the root of my procrastination?

6. What excuses have I used to avoid growing in this area?

🙏🏻 Prayer

Lord, I thank You for Your Word that brings blessing into my life and keeps me from destruction. I repent for the areas where I have allowed procrastination to wreak havoc. I don’t want procrastination to cause me to miss out on what You want to give me or to delay Your will for my life. Please give me a clear vision and clarity about my priorities so I don’t fall into the trap of procrastination. I submit my plans to You and ask You to order my days. In Jesus’ name, Amen.