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Spiritual Encouragement


Forgiving What I Can't Forget
There are some things people do to you that don’t fade with time. You can move forward, carry on with life, smile again… and still you carry the memory of what happened. Forgiveness is one of those beautiful words that sounds simple… until you actually have to live it... I’m not exactly sure why I’m writing this today. But here I am anyway — fingers on the keyboard, determined to write from my heart, not from what feels polished or “right.” We all know what it's like to be hu
crackley10205
3 days ago4 min read


A Prayer for the Weary Heart: When You’re Tired and Need God to Carry You
Hello Sis, how you doing? You doing good? Not so good? I wish we could sit down together and talk through the questions I'm asking you, face-to-face. But a brief, reflective pause for us to search how we actually are in the middle of our busy days, I suppose that's also valuable. Perhaps, like me, you’re... exhausted . However you are feeling in this brief, quiet, pause-of-a-moment, let me say a prayer over you. Actually, it's a prayer for both of us. That is what the Lord l
crackley10205
Jan 222 min read


The Power of Gratitude
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” The story of Jesus healing the ten lepers, recorded in Luke 17:11–19, is a timeless reminder of the power and importance of gratitude. Set “along the border between Samaria and Galilee,” the scene unfolds in a region filled with tension—a place avoided by many Jews, populated by Samaritans, lepers, and other marginalized groups. Yet this is exactly where Jesus chose to reveal His compassion. Ten men, outcast and destitute, lifted t
crackley10205
Nov 27, 20253 min read


Look As Far As You Can See
Your friend recently landed a new life-changing contract that you both have been praying she would get for ages. You are extremely happy, seeing all her years of hard work pay off in the most amazing way! Your heart is swelling with pride — she deserves this! Your congratulations are loud and nonstop. You are genuinely happy for her newest blessing and glad to witness it. But yet, beneath all that genuine happiness, there’s a tugging in your heart — a soft sigh. You do not en
crackley10205
Oct 30, 20254 min read


38 Little Lessons I've Learned from 38 Trips Around the Sun
I turned 38 on Monday, and while I still haven’t figured out how to fold a fitted sheet or how to get the last of the ketchup to come out of the bottle without theatrics, I’ve learned a few things along the way. Some lessons came through joy and tenderness, others through bumps and scrapes, and a few through burnt sourdough loaves. So, in the spirit of celebrating another trip around the sun (and maybe because writing lists feels therapeutic in my 30s), here are 38 little les
crackley10205
Oct 23, 20253 min read


Bringing What You Have
Hey there, sister. Are you tired? I am. Even as I sit down to write in this little corner of the internet that’s so dear to me, I can...
crackley10205
Oct 9, 20253 min read


Gratitude and Goodbyes
We are moving. This little homestead in rural North Carolina was a dilapidated mess when we first bought it a little over three years...
crackley10205
Apr 28, 20255 min read


Jesus, Our Servant King, Thursday, Holy Week 2025
Passover week, this Holy Week, I've been thinking about Jesus' last supper with His followers. They had all come to Jerusalem to...
crackley10205
Apr 17, 20254 min read


Rest and Grace: A Christmas Advent
I have been thinking a lot this Christmas season about rest. We, as a society, need rest. People are tired. Not in the sense of needing a...
crackley10205
Dec 21, 20245 min read


The Glory of Spiritual Nourishment
*A Note From Catherine: This blog post was written by our beloved Nigerian daughter, Gemma! Elizabeth Sunday, who we lovingly refer to as...
crackley10205
Nov 2, 20244 min read


The toxicity of perfectionism
We aren't sure we can do it exactly the way we want to do it, or the way we think it "should be" done, so we don't even try. We don't...
crackley10205
Oct 24, 20244 min read


A Divided Heart
I haven't written a post from my heart in a long time. It has, truthfully, just felt like too much emotional work to try and find...
crackley10205
Oct 6, 20245 min read


Planning and walking by faith, are they opposites?
I deeply long to live to a life that is marked by a "walk of faith." I don't want to have all the answers before deciding to do something...
crackley10205
Apr 19, 20247 min read


3 Important Questions as we Navigate Life
I'm so glad you're here. Let's dive right in. The 3 questions that have been starring me down in recent months... Will you trust me? Will...
crackley10205
Apr 7, 20244 min read


Faith: The mystery of suffering and trustworthiness of God
Suffering is a mystery. It is not explained, but it is affirmed. And we must remember that all of Christianity rests on mysteries....
crackley10205
Jan 29, 20246 min read


A Christmas Advent Week 2: Jesus, Our Rest
If you are anything like me, perhaps you've found yourself searching and longing for rest. Covid ended and we swore we weren't going to...
crackley10205
Dec 11, 20236 min read


A Christmas Advent Week 1: Jesus, THE Light of the World
Ear-piercing screaming, utter terror billowed down the long hallway and up the covers to my ears that were tucked warm and cozy under my...
crackley10205
Dec 3, 20236 min read


Our Family's Call to Zambia
At the end of the summer next year (2024) my husband, William, myself, our 6-year-old daughter, Vada, and our Sheepadoodle pup, Maybelle,...
crackley10205
Sep 20, 20235 min read


The Beautiful Sacrifice of Gratitude in Suffering
Gratitude. It's a current buzz word, though not a new concept. We feel most fulfilled when we give thanks because it's what we were made...
crackley10205
May 16, 20234 min read


Complete Surrender: Why Death to Self is So Hard
When Elisabeth Elliot was 12 years old she prayed the prayer written below. It was not just a one-time, fleeting prayer but, rather, this...
crackley10205
Apr 26, 20233 min read
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