After I rsquo d gotten settled into the chamber my body floating comfortably above the water the room went dark and the gentle music that had been playing in the background went silent I rsquo d read that isolation tanks were therapeutic offering relief for stress and anxiety But this was like nothing I rsquo d ever encountered It felt like the chaos of the world had stopped and I could clearly hear my innermost thoughts I left the experience balanced and rejuvenated reminded that there is power in stillness We can rest most comfortably in the stillness of the [... more]

In a research team at Stanford University studied more than two hundred students in an experiment that included switching between tasks and memory exercises Surprisingly the study found that students who viewed themselves as good multitaskers because they were in the habit of doing several things at a time did worse than those who preferred to perform one task at a time Multitasking made it more difficult to focus their thoughts and filter irrelevant information Maintaining focus when our minds are distracted can be a challenge When Jesus visited Mary and Martha rsquo s home Martha was busy working and [... more]

The most powerful orators in history are often those leaders who have used their voices to bring about positive change Consider Frederick Douglass whose speeches on abolition and liberty spurred a movement that helped lead to the end of slavery in the United States What if he rsquo d chosen to be silent We all possess the capacity to use our voice to inspire and help others but the fear of speaking out can be paralyzing In the moments when we feel overwhelmed by this fear we can look to God our source of divine wisdom and encouragement When God [... more]

As I prepared to ride a zip-line from the highest point of a rainforest on the Caribbean Island of St Lucia fear welled up inside me Seconds before I jumped from the platform thoughts of everything that could go wrong filled my mind But with all the courage I could muster and few options for turning back I released Dropping from the pinnacle of the forest I whizzed through the lush green trees wind flowing through my hair and my worries slowly fading As I moved through the air allowing gravity to carry me my view of the next platform [... more]

On November a disastrous flood swept through Florence Italy submerging Giorgio Vasari rsquo s renowned work of art The Last Supper under a pool of mud water and heating oil for over twelve hours With its paint softened and its wooden frame significantly damaged many believed that the piece was beyond repair However after a tedious fifty-year conservation effort experts and volunteers were able to overcome monumental obstacles and restore the valuable painting When the Babylonians conquered Israel the people felt hopeless mdash surrounded by death and destruction and in need of restoration Lamentations During this period of turmoil God [... more]

Soccer player Christian Pulisic faced several injuries that influenced the course of his career After learning he wouldn rsquo t be in the starting lineup of the Champions League semifinals game he was disappointed but he described how God had revealed Himself to him ldquo As always I reach out to God and He gives me strength rdquo he said ldquo I feel like I always have Someone who rsquo s with me I don rsquo t know how I would do any of this without that feeling rdquo Pulisic ultimately made a momentous impact when he was substituted later [... more]

In a recent post blogger Bonnie Gray recounted the moment when overwhelming sadness began to creep into her heart ldquo Out of the blue rdquo she stated ldquo during the happiest chapter in my life I suddenly started experiencing panic attacks and depression rdquo Gray tried to find different ways to address her pain but she soon realized that she wasn rsquo t strong enough to handle it alone ldquo I hadn rsquo t wanted anyone to question my faith so I kept quiet and prayed that my depression would go away But God wants to heal us not shame [... more]

Dr Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African-American woman to earn a medical degree Yet during her lifetime she recalls being ldquo ignored slighted and rendered insignificant rdquo Even amid adversity however she remained devoted to healing and fulfilling her purpose Crumpler boldly affirmed that although some people might choose to judge her based on her race and gender she rsquo d always have a ldquo renewed and courageous readiness to do when and wherever duty calls rdquo and that she did Not only was she a servant in her field but she also believed that treating women and children [... more]

It seems my mother can sense trouble from a mile away Once after a rough day at school I tried to mask my frustration hoping that no one would notice ldquo What rsquo s the matter rdquo she asked Then she added ldquo Before you tell me it rsquo s nothing remember I rsquo m your mother I gave birth to you and I know you better than you know yourself rdquo My mom has consistently reminded me that her deep awareness of who I am helps her be there for me in the moments I need her most As [... more]

As the holiday season approached package shipments were delayed due to an unprecedented influx of online orders I can remember a time when my family preferred to simply go into the store and purchase items because we knew we had very little control over the speed of mail delivery However when my mother signed up for an account that includes expedited shipping this expectation changed Now with a two-day guaranteed delivery we rsquo re accustomed to receiving things quickly and we become frustrated by delays nbsp We live in a world accustomed to instant gratification and waiting can be difficult [... more]

Blogger Kevin Lynn rsquo s life seemed to be falling apart In a recent article he recounted ldquo I actually put a gun to my head It took for God to supernaturally step into my room and my life And at that moment I really found what I know is God now rdquo God intervened in Lynn rsquo s life preventing him from taking his life He filled him with conviction and gave him an overwhelming reminder of His loving presence Instead of hiding this powerful encounter Lynn shared his experience with the world creating a YouTube ministry where he [... more]

What do we do when we are required to stand boldly for what we believe in amid life rsquo s challenges In a small Illinois town domestic violence comprises forty percent of all crimes in the community According to a local pastor this issue is often hidden in our faith communities because it rsquo s uncomfortable to talk about So instead of shying away from the problem local ministers chose to exercise faith and courageously address the issue by taking classes to recognize the signs of violence and supporting non-profit organizations working on the issue Acknowledging the power of faith [... more]

A study of adults in the United Kingdom found that on average ldquo they checked their smartphones every twelve minutes of the waking day rdquo But let rsquo s be honest this statistic seems extremely generous when I consider how frequently I search Google to find the answer to a question or respond to endless alerts from the texts calls and emails that come to my phone throughout the day We consistently look to our devices confident they rsquo ll provide what we need to keep us organized informed and connected As believers in Christ we have a resource infinitely [... more]

We live in a world that offers a wide range of choices mdash from paper towels to life insurance In Psychologist Barry Schwartz wrote a book titled The Paradox of Choice in which he argued that while freedom of choice is important to our well-being too many choices can lead to overload and indecision While the stakes are certainly lower when deciding on which paper towel to buy indecision can become debilitating when making major decisions that impact the course of our lives So how can we overcome indecision and move forward confidently in living for Jesus As believers in [... more]

A pirouette is a graceful spin that rsquo s executed by ballerinas and contemporary dancers alike As a child I loved to do pirouettes in my modern dance class whirling round and round until I was dizzy in the head and fell to the ground As I got older a trick I learned to help me maintain my balance and control was ldquo spotting rdquo mdash identifying a single point for my eyes to return to each time I made a full circle spin Having a single focal point was all I needed to master my pirouette with a graceful [... more]