Because the culture we breathe and work in rushes against rest. It equates our worth with production and wealth and fame. The more we work toward those goals, the more society assigns us worth.

We cannot let the haters of this world define us. Or frighten us into no longer being ourselves.

Growth comes from God, to those with surrendered, yielded hearts.

We grow when the walls press in. We grow when life steals our control. We grow in the darkness.

I understand true life doesn't happen when I constantly gaze backwards, mulling over all the injustices others have done or I have done to others.

Our task shouldn't be punishing the villains in our lives, but enlarging the God who heals us from all wounds.

We may not understand the pathways God lays out before us. We may not even like walking the journey. But even in failure, we can trust that He’ll do more than we expect.