Shortly after creating Adam, the Lord God acknowledged that it wasn’t good for the man to be alone. Genesis 2:21 says that after placing Adam into a deep sleep, God removed one of his ribs and used it to create Eve.

Medical research gives us a window into the rich, life-giving properties of the red bone marrow located inside human ribs. Containing two different types of stem cells, bone marrow has the capability of producing 200 billion new blood cells every day. Scientists and stem cell biologists hope to one day create human gametes – functioning sperm and eggs – directly from bone marrow. But despite our extensive medical knowledge, advancements, and breakthroughs, mankind still cannot spontaneously generate human life.

However, the One who formed the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon, stars, beasts, birds and fish — from nothing — is without such limitation. If it wasn’t necessary to use Adam’s rib, why did God jumpstart Eve’s life that way? My opinion involves placement. Eve was created to stand at Adam’s side. Not in front of him. Not behind him. Not beneath him. Not above him.

The View a wife holds — how she sees herself and/or her husband — drives her actions. A wife who stands in front of her husband doesn’t trust him to lead. A wife who lags behind has lost interest in (or has entirely given up on) the marriage. A wife who thinks her husband is above her will tear him down, and a wife who considers herself above her husband displays a perception of superiority.

The View I hold of my husband is that he is the leader of our home. While I see myself as his helpmate, I am not a carpet to be trampled upon, nor am I the Wise One who’ll solve all his problems. I don’t walk ten paces behind or ten paces ahead. Whether I’m head-over-heels-in love with him, or I’m so angry or hurt that I feel like walking out, I willfully choose to stand at his side. Some days it’s easy; other days test my resolve, but each time I make that choice, God faithfully draws us closer to each other.

Traditional marriage gets a bad rap, and the idea that a husband is called to lead his family isn’t popular. Culture, which mirrors a strong current, will pull us toward one ideology, only to shove us in the opposition direction toward another. I’d rather stand on the strong foundation of God’s word, which is neither flimsy nor unstable. I choose to stand alongside my husband because I believe it’s what God intended. As the designer of marriage, I trust that God not only knows the best place for me to be, but that He’ll honor my placement, even if others don’t.

I love getting invitations. As an introvert, the words — You’re Invited — quell the lies that say I’m forgotten, invisible or unimportant.

Perhaps that’s why I find Jesus’s response in John 1:39 so powerful. When several of John the Baptist’s disciples came to Jesus and asked him where he was staying, he issued this invitation: Come and you will see.

A few verses later, Philip finds his friend Nathanael and tells him that Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, is the Deliverer — the Messiah — the One prophesied by Moses and the prophets.

According to Philip, Israel’s long-awaited Savior had finally arrived. But a question burned within Nathanael, and he could not proceed until it was answered: Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

While the tone of his question is undeniably sour, there’s a valid reason for it. Nazareth — with a population of approximately 500 people — was tiny. Located roughly 16 miles from the Sea of Galilee, it wasn’t on any of the trade routes heading toward the Mediterranean Sea. Since no one traveled toward (or through) that region, opinion commonly held of Nazareth was that it was out-in-the-sticks, full of simple-minded (or possibly even ignorant) folk. Could the son of a carpenter, from a backwoods village, with no formal education or training in the scriptures, be the One?

Taking a cue from Jesus, Philip invites Nathanael to get his answer in person with these three words: Come and see. As Nathanael walks toward Jesus, he hears Jesus say to him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

That statement, which embodied the proof Nathanael needed, inspired this declaration: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

What about you? Do you have a burning question that needs to be answered before you’ll agree to place your trust in Him? If you’ve got questions, bring them to the One whose holding your answers. You’re Invited — come and see.

December 25 – the biggest gift-giving day of the year – is marked by lights, decorations, displays, music, and goodies, making the arrival of the Christmas season impossible to miss. Between the parties, festivities, gathering of friends and family, caroling, cooking, and shopping, it’s easy to exhaust ourselves.

If we don’t manage the hustle and bustle, it will manage us. That’s what happened to Martha, whose story begins in Luke 10:38. Martha invited Jesus into her home and immediately busied herself with hosting duties. Her sister, Mary, did not offer to help her, but instead sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching.

Martha focused on the preparation – what she could do for Jesus. Mary, on the other hand, focused on Jesus’s presence – what he could do for her. In the end, Martha was anxious and troubled, while Mary was filled with love and gratitude.

Perhaps you have tried to sit at his feet, only to be disappointed. Instead of a closeness, you’ve sensed a distance, as though your Savior isn’t there, or worse, doesn’t care. The more you try to connect, the farther away he seems to float. On top of that, there’s a growing numbness you can’t quite shake. If that’s you, you’re not alone.

For years, I struggled to accept Jesus’s love and forgiveness. Believing the lie that I was too far gone, I rejected scripture that said God loved, cherished and adored me. It took a Dark Season to teach me this lesson: trashy labels weren’t accessories God wanted me to wear. Before I could grow, that garbage had to go. This required vulnerability, which meant my walls had to come down. 1 John 4:18 says: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

This is why I love the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-30). If you’re not familiar with the story, this gal had been divorced five times and was not married to the man she lived with. Her entire community knew her Dirty Laundry, which followed her like a spotlight wherever she went. Yet Jesus purposely sought her out – not to condemn her past, but to affirm her future. Standing alongside her in the wreckage, his words of life restored her ruins. Where others saw ashes, he saw beauty. This is the Redeemer’s heart – to bring healing and wholeness to the discarded, the lost, the despised, and the rejected.

This Christmas, as you prepare to adore him, remember that he longs to adore you. The best gift you can give him is to sit at his feet and allow him to love you. In this gift-giving season, take the opportunity to receive his gift – the Perfect Love that casts out all fear.

Open Door

There’s something very unique about Halloween. It is the one night each year that people are most likely to Open their front Door to complete strangers.   

Matthew 5:14-15 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.”

One truth I’ve learned about Halloween over the years is this – it’s an opportunity to greet people, to exchange smiles and perhaps even meet a neighbor who lives down the street.

This Halloween, allow your heart to be an Open Door. You may just be the Light your neighbor needs to see on an otherwise Dark Night. It may even spark a beautiful friendship.

Every day we’re bombarded with messages — true ones which come from God — falsehoods which come from Satan. Most of us cannot decipher Satan’s lies because we do not know God’s truth. Like a field, what we allow to take root will grow. If you’re ready to stop believing the lies, take the first step — learn who you are in Christ, then get to weeding.

The goal of Steel Heels Ministry is to help you stand firm in your faith by moving from victim to victorious. Ditching the lies = true freedom.

Just like God speaks through people to encourage, the devil speaks through people to tear down. The devil is your enemy and his only goal is to bring destruction. The next time someone unleashes a verbal attack, look past their face and start digging — Satan, the Destroyer, is always at the root.

When it comes to meal planning skills, I’m definitely limited; I don’t think I’ve ever planned out more than two consecutive dinners. Feeding a family of five means constant grocery store trips. Daily shopping is normal; not finding what’s on my list isn’t.

With the onset of the Covid-19 panic, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaner wipes, bread, eggs, beans, rice, pasta, ground beef and chicken (just to name a few) are suddenly MIA. Empty store shelves and wiped out frozen food sections have became overnight norms — a glaring reminder of the power that the Talons of Fear can have on our lives. Fueled by a Lord of the Flies mentality, many items are gobbled up as soon as they arrive by truck.

Amid the picked-over aisles, I pondered this question — if we don’t have a food shortage, then what’s the problem?

There, in the market, the Lord reminded me of Exodus 16 — the story of the Israelites in the Wilderness. Hungry, afraid, frustrated, and in deep need, they cried out for help. In response, God provided Manna, a daily portion of bread that fell from heaven. Every day it rained down. Every day they had enough. Nothing more. Nothing less.

This pandemic is our Wilderness — it’s where we’re all stuck. Like the wind which changes direction, we cannot predict where new infections will emerge, how long the Coronavirus will continue spreading, or when shuttering of households or social distancing restrictions will be lifted.  Despite these Unknown Factors, we don’t have to live in Fear; we can choose to live in Faith by placing our trust in the One who is Faithful — who owns the cattle on a thousand hills — who shelters us under His wings — who provides what we need, when we need it.

In John 6:35, Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” It’s no coincidence that God gave the Israelites Manna — their Daily Bread — in order to sustain them. While we certainly need food, water, clothing and shelter, we also desperately need Jesus. Without Him, we succumb to Fear; with Him, we walk in Faith.

Each time I go to the store, I keep the word Manna in mind. It’s my reminder to buy what my family needs — nothing more — nothing less, so those who shop after me can buy their daily share as well.

Kings have gone by many titles, but the one I love most is His Grace — it describes a kind-hearted king, seeking the best for those in his kingdom.

Historically speaking, though, some kings were downright wicked. Drunk on power, they elevated themselves to a god-like status, mercilessly snuffing out all forms of rebellion, real or perceived.

While Jesus is often called the King of kings, power-grabbing isn’t part of his DNA. Unlike the wicked kings of old, His approach toward us has never been Top Down — forcing our obedience through manipulation or coercion. Instead, Jesus works from the Bottom Up. Getting down on our level, His Grace enters into our Mess. Holding us in His arms, He whispers His plan for getting us out of the Pit.

Tragically, this is the place where many of us Tap Out. Like seeds that fall among thorns, the spark of excitement is quickly choked when we realize His plan targets the Renovation of our heart, rather than the Removal of our problems.

Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

I’ve gone through Traumatic Trials which threatened to deplete my strength, steal my joy and crush my resolve. I’d never choose to repeat those Difficult Days, yet I cannot deny that these pain-filled events propelled a growth spurt in my faith. When chaos descends, we often desire to be Lifted Out of our issues; however, it is the Walking Out of our Faith that produces the fruit of steadfastness.

God’s good plans for us sometimes involve a Change of Heart. While Humble Pie is certainly not the best-tasting dessert, His Grace adds just enough sweetness to make it edible.

The King of kings calls you His own and you have permission to call upon Him any time. When you do, know that He’ll not only meet you in the Midst of Mayhem, His Grace will guide you all the way through.