Has the weight of the world ever kept you up at night? I'm pregnant while raising a toddler and a teenager - the perfect combination to need sleep and to lose it! I've tearfully prayed through many nights this week for my children and the world they are inheriting. The darkness seems to shout louder and louder with confusion and temptation coming from every direction. But God is not surprised at the world He is entrusting our children to. He is not lacking in wisdom, compassion, or omnipotent love.

Chris told “the other side” of the infamous story of Judas the betrayer this week. It opened my eyes and made me think. I am the queen of creating expectations and agendas, so this one his me hard!

We all have an agenda. Life almost never follows that agenda. What happens when we put our agenda up against God’s agenda?

I’'ve always loved tables and what happens at them. There's nothing better than spreading out a beautiful table cloth and sharing a meal with loved ones.
While my husband and I were having the conversation that led us to building God's Church, I saw a picture in my mind of a white flag flying. Black, bold letters spelled out "The Table" on the flag. Over a year later, I got another picture when we visited Cape Town…

Our relationship with prayer reflects our understanding of our relationship with Jesus. But do we really know Jesus? If we could understand more about Jesus then how would that change how we pray. Does prayer really do any good? Well, that depends on how well you know Jesus.

I texted a friend at the end of a peaceful Sunday to ask how I could pray for her. We were both looking at the week ahead with bulging eyes at the tasks laid out before us. We decided to spend the first five minutes of every day this week listening to a worship song and offering our day, tasks and plans to God as a spiritual act of worship.

This is the one where Chris admits throwing me in front of a bee to save himself. Note: I DID get stung.

This message also goes right to the heart of fear and speaks powerfully, boldly and in ways that might really help you or someone you know.

I finally feel like myself again after spending a few weeks under the weather. It feels incredible! When I finally started to come out of the haze, I remembered I had let go of a precious habit. I have prayed with at least one friend every week for years…

Chris shared two angles of one story this week. Context changes everything in life - relationships, news, finances, everything. But especially when it comes to Jesus. With Jesus, the context is always love. It’s always about Him pursuing a relationship with you. Chris taught a powerful truth this week that Jesus will do anything, including make us uncomfotable or inconvenience us to get a platform to speak to our hearts. He wants to fill your empty nets, but the way He does it is often different than what we expect!

I was sick this week with a head cold that left me foggy during the day and sleepless at night. I rarely made it to my treasured morning quiet time with the Lord before the day got going. My teenage son had a hard day in the midst of it. Two hard things happened to him on the same day, one of them requiring a tough conversation between us.

I was bummed to be too sick to make it to Chris and I’s normal Tuesday night Facebook live stream this week. I was VERY happy, however, to be able to still gather with the church virtually on Thursday night to pray together… though I coughed through it!

We had much to pray about this week as some of our beloved church members are really battling with Covid. Their small groups showed up, and we prayed with passion. And God has started moving!

Here’s a message from Chris about this weeks’s sermon. It was great!

Am I good enough for Jesus? Am I good enough for the Church? Am I good enough for you? It’s hard to accept where you stand with Jesus unless you really know Him. I truly believe that if you know just a little bit more about the love of Jesus you will be able to answer these tough questions. Yes you are good enough and I can tell you why.

I got live on Facebook on Thursday nights for “Southpoint Prays”. It’s a short, but powerful time for us to gather virtually and pray. This week, I got fired up about who Jesus is and the power in His Name and His Church while we gathered. If you have a moment, join in here. Send me a message with your prayer requests!

Chris told the story of the capital-c Church this week at church. He even dared to ask, “Does the Church still work?” “Is the Church still hope for the world?” “Is it all that Jesus said it would be?” They are questions I’ve asked in hardest moments of life away from my family in the name of that Church.

Have you ever known your thought life was out of control but didn't know how to change it? Recently, I felt betrayed by my own binging brain. Lies, confusion, worry, frustration - you name it, I gorged on it. I knew exactly what was happening. I could look outside of myself and see God's hand on me, yet my state of mind was wrought with negativity.

This week a friend sent me a picture with a thank you note. It was a picture of a letter I had written for the Help Club for Mom’s book. She said, “These words really ministered to me today.” I went back to that letter, and guess what… they ministered to me! Those words were certainly from God’s hand and not my own because I needed them for myself this week too. I wanted to share it here with all of you in case they might speak to you too.

Written on Monday, June 26

It's a new day in South Africa! President Ramaphosa is leading us carefully out of a month-long level 4 lockdown. People can gather in small groups, and kids can go to school with some extra precautions in place. Lifa was JAZZED to go to school this morning. Benjamin, however, lives his best life on lockdown with his brother's full attention.

We all get to the “WHY” crossroad in our faith journey.

Why do bad things happen? Why did Jesus say He works out all things for the good of those who love Him when life looks like this?

This week at church, Chris shared why he still believes despite all he’s been through. He gives practical and powerful truth for you and your why too! Check it out! His teaching starts at 23:30.

My soul got tired this week. Kindness and gentleness escaped me. Instead, my mind flipped and flopped, desperately seeking an anchor for my soul.

It's in the aftermath, after we've spent ourselves and prayed our most faith-filled prayers, where the prowling enemy's voice slinks in to our tired souls..

It’s not easy for an American pastor to speak to South Africa in the midst of heart-wrenching turmoil and civil unrest. It’s especially not easy when he’s addressing the question in everyone’s minds - whether fueled by fear, fury, anxiety, sorrow, or a storm of thoughts and feelings.. WHY.

Why is South Africa here?

Chris poured himself out before God to prepare this message, and it was so powerful. I listened to it twice because I needed it this week!

remain safe, but many lives and livelihoods are lost to fire and fury of epic proportions. The nation, hearts and hope have been shaking for 7 days.