I was a student pastor for just over 20 years and I know what it means to serve the Lord in a full-time occupation. My spiritual journey didn’t radically change when I officially left any type of salary in church. Since leaving the full-time ministry, I have become an advocate for taking care of church…
Blog by Kristen Hicks Summer always has a way of bringing me back. Yet, this year I feel like it’s just been a common theme… returning. It keeps coming up. Returning to the things I did at first. Returning to who I’m meant to be—to who I’ve always been. Returning to simplicity. Returning to identity.…
I am learning that as I get older, my memory is not quite as sharp as it once was. I guess that Is should have expected that. I have met people who are a good bit older than I am and they still seem “sharp as a tack”. I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten to…
I grew up singing the song, “Jesus Loves Me”. That simple little song declares a bold biblical truth. The Bible affirms that He loves me. Jesus is the One and Only Son of God. He came to earth and lived a human life for 33 years before surrendering to death on a cross. Our sins…
Love is a beautiful part of who we are as human beings. No matter our nationality or heritage, we respond to love. Not everyone was introduced to love as a young child. I am thankful that my parents and my whole family knew about love and put love into practice. I honestly can’t imagine a…
This word is about doing something. A person who takes some action is not passive. I have been through seasons where I wasn’t as active as at other seasons of my life. I am learning that putting activities off doesn’t really help. I need to take action when it’s called for. I have never been…
These three words describe a significant challenge to my simple faith. I love it when people say wonderful things about me and tell me how wonderful a person I am. I love it when I do something very well and get noticed. I also love having lots of stuff to call my own. All three…
I remember as a kid being a bit of afraid of the dark. When I go older, I became bolder and less afraid of the dark. I remember working on the security team in college and having to go into dark places (attics & basements) where darkness loomed. I must confess that I was a…
This is a tricky concept. There have been incidents when I thought the timing was out of place, but as “time” passed, the timing fell perfectly into place. I feel like I have a sense of timing, but if it’s a bit off, it can be embarrassing. A well-timed word of encouragement can speak volumes…
Blog by Kristen Hicks There is a tension within me this week. It’s been rising for the last month. Pulling, pushing, twisting… and it hurts, oh man, it hurts. But my perspective is shifting, my eyes are opening, it’s stirring deep, deep inside. There is no stopping it and no making it happen quicker.…