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The Time I Served My Husband and Actually Liked It
I did the impossible and actually cooked a meal I had pinned on Pinterest- Carne Guisado (Tejano stewed beef). Cooking is not an out of ordinary task for me in the House of Jacobs; its a regular part of how I contribute to my family. So when dinner time comes around my husband (Matt) and I fall into our respective roles almost without thinking. While he gets the kids in their chairs and washes their hands, I portion out their food and let it cool. Often, I prepare my husband's plate and bring it to him. This particular dinner though, I was nervous to present him with the meal as…
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Jeffrey Dahmer–Our Brother in Christ?
Jeffrey Dahmer was arguably one of the most heinous serial killers of our time; he mercilessly drugged, strangled and raped, dismembered and cannibalized at least 17 men. When convicted in 1991, no punishment seemed befitting regarding the magnitude of his deplorable crimes. Nevertheless, he was sentenced to 16 terms of life imprisonment. However, yesterday, I found out that this vile creature was dipped in the cleansing water of God's Grace as he was believed to have put his faith in Jesus Christ. He was baptized by Roy Ratcliff in 1994 and upon hearing this news, my knee-jerk reaction was stomach turning. A beast of a man, such as Jeffrey Dahmer,…
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But What if They Smell Like Pee
In his renowned work, "They Smell Like Sheep" Dr. Lynn Anderson challenges all of us to lead like Christ, the good shepherd. (John 10:14) He insists, "while the term 'shepherd' produces warm images of love, care, and tenderness, it also describes a form of leadership that is perilously protective, dangerous, dirty, and smelly." Essentially the book goes on to say that true discipleship is no walk in the park, rather, if you are truly going to be a shepherd you must become well acquainted with the muck and mire of the sheep. The concept of being fully invested in the lives of sheep has been paramount in my own life…
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Comfortable Christianity
My husband and I are officially unemployed with three children and a car note. This didn't occur by happenstance, rather our employment status was the result of deliberate prayer and decision. Approximately 6 months ago I found myself driving to an ordinary ministry conference on an ordinary day only to be met with an extraordinary message—Christianity was not meant to be comfortable! Let's see the picture of Christianity that Jesus painted for his disciples: “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but…
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A Limited Experience With Jesus
My 95 Honda Accord was once a sleek maroon ode to modern engineering. But fast forward about 20 years: a broken air conditioner, busted speedometer, and a check engine light, it had become what we call a "hoopty." I never thought much of the hoopty state in which my car existed except for when the heat of the Dallas summer lit up the inside of my maroon wonder like a dutch oven. This particular summer, we were experiencing a record-breaking heat wave with over 30 days of triple digit heat! I was preparing to drive my hoopty to the DFW airport and I knew I needed reinforcements. Having the windows…
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The Sacrament of Everyday Life
The other day I had the most pleasant moment. A man was outside mowing his lawn and I got hit with that pungent smell of fresh cut grass as soon as I opened my door. Then I remembered my dad. He would spend a warm Saturday morning cutting grass. Usually, we would have the windows open and could hear and smell what he was doing. My mom, in our little yellow kitchen, and gospel music blaring in the family room usually meant it was time for us kids to wake up and be productive. I would peep out the window and see my dad. He wore his hat tipped up…
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Facebook and Worthless Idols
The story of Israel's sin is one of assimilation, apathy and poor judgment. They were given chance after chance to keep their focus on the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, the one who had parted the Red Sea and delivered them into the promised land. Yet, they followed after the idols of their neighbors. They traded what was invaluable for the cheap thrill of immediate gratification and social acceptance. For decades the Israelites walked the fine line between disobedience and conviction and God decided that he had enough. "They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to…
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Wonder Woman and Back Surgery
I really thought I had nipped it in the bud this time! Have you ever been certain you had finally reigned in that sinful habit or those renegade thoughts only to find them unearthed in a shallow grave? This was my story in September of 2017. The Wonder Woman complex is what I call the sin of pridefulness that makes many women believe they have to carry the whole world on their shoulders while working, folding laundry and nursing a baby all at once. I had been down that road of self-sufficiency before. I submitted my faults to the Lord and sworn to do better…but there is nothing like 2…
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My First Romanian Orthodox Christmas
I grew up attending a traditional black Baptist church so Sunday school, tambourines and good ol' hymns were a norm for me. I also grew up surrounded by my friends' bar and bat mitzvahs. I went to a Catholic high school, and college landed me in a more charismatic self-proclaimed "Jesus Freak" church. (No, really–they sold bumper stickers that said that :-). When it came time to answer the call to the ministry God led me to a more conservative Evangelical home here in Dallas. All of this to say, I've had a mixed bag of ministry experiences which have helped me learn to look for beauty among denominations…
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Credit Cards and Self-Reliance
Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday… let's face it, folks, the odds are stacked against us when it comes to holding on to our hard-earned money. It is in this season of giving that we often become prey to the idea of immediate gratification and the 0% interest for one year, no money down, financing that entices us to get in over our heads. The Bible has a lot to say about how we spend our money. Below are some of the most notable scriptures to internalize before we overindulge this season. God is our #1 priority when it comes to how we spend our money.…
