Sometimes it is child-like faith that is needed to wait patiently for God to answer prayer.

Doomed. Stuck. Lost. Hopeless. Unworthy. Depressed. Ever been there?

I had a long stretch of highway before me. The sunlight danced through the trees as I drove, seemingly joining me as I sang along to the radio. As the radio static grew, drowning out the sound, I flipped the station and tuned in to hear the passionate timbre of some preacher I didn’t recognize. I got ready to flip the dial when his words pierced through my thoughts and grabbed a hold of me. “We misunderstand what it means to be a Christian. We think that because we believ

When my life is hard and the spiritual tunnel I’m in seems dark, one of the hardest things for me to learn has been trusting God.  Intellectually I know I can.  God is always faithful.  But in practice, trust has been much harder to find. Sometimes, I’ve wanted run away like an angry child, wildly and aimlessly, only to hurt myself more in the process.  I’ve retreated deep within behind a walled fortress that no one can penetrate.  It feels oddly safe but so horribly isolatin

Finding answers can be tough. Blessedly, God is very good at helping us find them, and He provides us a roadmap to wise solutions in the book of Proverbs. There are some real jewels in there! I've learned to pay close attention to the If/Then statements, as in "if" you do this, "then" this will be your outcome. The first step for each of us is very clearly laid out in the book's beginning: LISTEN. Man, that can be hard for me!  I get so caught up in the demands on my time

by BARB LOWNSBURY What breaks us from our faith? I think it’s very similar to what breaks us in any relationship we’re in. We have unexpressed expectations that aren’t met, or expressed expectations that aren’t met in our timing or with the answer we want. When we face intense pressures financially and emotionally, we walk away. But here’s the crucial difference between our human relationships and God: God never makes mistakes, and his answers to our questions always work. Al

By KRISTAN DOOLEY As I’m typing this I am on a plane returning to the United States. I just spent the past ten days with some amazing people serving orphans in Jos, Nigeria. It was life-changing. My pictures will never do it justice. God’s voice was so loud. His promptings were so clear. The level of brokenness so intense. The need for God, so in your face. I’ve also never sweat so much in my life! I can’t wait to take a real shower, drink coffee with real creamer, and not go

I have this vivid memory of a prayer night I participated in back in my college days–so vivid that all these years later, I still remember it.  We were all down on our knees huddled together closely in a circle.  We were slowly making our way around, with each person praying about whatever was on their hearts.  It was a little intimidating hearing everyone’s prayers. I wondered if my prayer would be as good or as thoughtful, if I would be perceived as being “spiritual” enough

By MARY GEISEN It doesn’t happen this way often. A whispered thought that seems to wake me up. Several reminders of the same words throughout the day. The familiar tug that somehow these words were meant for me. On this day, the words grabbed me and I was determined to find out why. “Peace” was my first thought as I woke up. This expanded into “Peace, I leave with you” as I scrolled through my Bible app. Right in front of me, in plain letters, were the same words as the verse

By MARY GEISEN I’m a podcast junkie. I listen while I’m in the car or out walking, and find satisfaction in learning new ideas or remembering things I already know. As I was listening to Annie Downs’ podcast, That Sounds Fun, her guest said these words: “I didn’t get the prayer I wanted, but I got the presence I needed.” I stopped immediately to write down those words. The words affected me to the point that I wanted to explore the times in my own life where I prayed and rece

Bwaahaahaa!  It must’ve been like I’d issued a challenge out to the universe that said, “Please.  Come and give me every occasion to test the true plumb line of my patience.  Now!”  Within a week or two, challenge after challenge started coming my way, and I very quickly learned, No.  I am not patient.  In fact, sometimes I am anything but! Over the years I’ve learned that as soon as I think I’ve “arrived” somewhere, God shows me a whole new layer of that very thing I need to

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″ custom_padding=”0|0px|25.5px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.19.18″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.18″ inline_fonts=”Georgia”] For a long time now, I have felt called to make this blog a place you can come to daily to be encouraged and grow.  Finally, it’s here!  This month, you will meet other Dented Fenders who have allowed God to show up in the mid

My times with God aren’t always easy.  Sure, there are times I sing or pray where it’s as if I’m standing in the midst of the Holy Spirit.  I feel such deep peace, such incredible joy that it’s almost overwhelming.  It changes my day, puts a bounce in my step. His powerful love carries me confidently forward.  But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit sometimes it feels like anything but. I have to wrestle a lot with God, honestly. Oh, I know that God loves me, that He has me. I k