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Articles by Jen Jabbour
5 Signs Your Priorities Are Wrong
What are the things you allow to take up most of your time? Do you feel that you spend your time wisely? With how fleeting life is, we must be wise with our time. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (ESV) Typically, you can figure out a person’s priorities by their actions, how they spend their time, and their appearance.
What If My Marriage Interferes with My Calling?
There may come a day in your marriage when you and your spouse disagree on something you feel passionate about. In fact, you may even believe God has called you to do something, yet your spouse doesn’t readily agree. I often find myself asking God to reveal the same vision to my husband if it is truly the direction He wants me to go. I don't know how many times I have flat-out told God that if He’s calling me to step forward in faith, I'll need my husband to take the trip with me.
What If My Marriage Interferes with My Calling?
There may come a day in your marriage when you and your spouse disagree on something you feel passionate about. In fact, you may even believe God has called you to do something, yet your spouse doesn’t readily agree. I often find myself asking God to reveal the same vision to my husband if it is truly the direction He wants me to go. I don't know how many times I have flat-out told God that if He’s calling me to step forward in faith, I'll need my husband to take the trip with me.
Is It Wrong to Feel Validated in My Calling?
Not too long ago, I caught myself in a feel-good moment—the kind of moment that occurs when you’re finally able to sit back and enjoy the results of your hard work and a job well done. Yet, before getting too caught up, I felt a twinge of shame that tried to make me feel guilty.
What If My Marriage Interferes with My Calling?
There may come a day in your marriage when you and your spouse disagree on something you feel passionate about. In fact, you may even believe God has called you to do something, yet your spouse doesn’t readily agree. I often find myself asking God to reveal the same vision to my husband if it is truly the direction He wants me to go. I don't know how many times I have flat-out told God that if He’s calling me to step forward in faith, I'll need my husband to take the trip with me.
Is It Wrong to Feel Validated in My Calling?
Not too long ago, I caught myself in a feel-good moment—the kind of moment that occurs when you’re finally able to sit back and enjoy the results of your hard work and a job well done. Yet, before getting too caught up, I felt a twinge of shame that tried to make me feel guilty.
What Excuses Are You Making to Not Chase Your Dreams?
Contributing Writer Published May 28, 2024 What excuses are you making for not chasing your dreams? We make up a lot of reasons for why we’ve delayed accessing the desires of our hearts. As parents, we often find it easy to blame our children for not chasing after our dreams. After all, shouldn’t raising them be our first priority?
Have You Lost Your First Love?
If you’ve ever received a letter praising you for your hard work and achievements, you know firsthand how it feels. In Revelation 2 (NLT), the letter to the church in Ephesus starts out this way: “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance…” At first, it seems like it's going to be a really good letter, one of those that makes you feel good. If I received a letter like that, I would be grinning ear-to-ear. I would feel seen.
What Excuses Are You Making to Not Chase Your Dreams?
What excuses are you making for not chasing your dreams? We make up a lot of reasons for why we’ve delayed accessing the desires of our hearts. As parents, we often find it easy to blame our children for not chasing after our dreams. After all, shouldn’t raising them be our first priority?
A Letter from a Mom in the Trenches
I’m in the trenches, and, y'all, I gotta tell you, it’s some kind of crazy beautiful. It’s a mix of every emotion one can have, and sometimes I experience them all at once. As I write this, I hope I can look back one day and see how God’s threads of grace, love, and mercy were woven through every hurt, fear, and doubt. I hope I remember all that God did for us. Maybe I’ll even give this to my kids when they start to deal with parenting woes.
Are You Living Like a Citizen of Heaven?
Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to go to Australia, thanks to the “Crocodile Dundee” movies that were popular in the 1980s. I’m not sure why the idea of wrestling crocodiles lured me into deciding on the “land down under" as my top choice. I’ve yet to visit any country except a few border towns in Mexico, which is quite common for southern Californians. Before we had any children, my husband and I went down to Ensenada with our church to help build a youth camp.
Even Introverts Need Community
Contributing Writer Published Apr 26, 2024 As an adult, I crave alone time. The funny thing is, I didn’t really think that alone time was something I would struggle to find, until one day, I woke up, a married woman with two kids and three dogs, and realized that I am never ever alone. While some people are afraid to be alone, I’m actually more afraid of the thought of never getting to be alone again. Months often go by when I don’t hang out with friends.
Even Introverts Need Community
As an adult, I crave alone time. The funny thing is, I didn’t really think that alone time was something I would struggle to find, until one day, I woke up, a married woman with two kids and three dogs, and realized that I am never ever alone. While some people are afraid to be alone, I’m actually more afraid of the thought of never getting to be alone again. Months often go by when I don’t hang out with friends.
3 Surprising Things You Have in Common with Esther and Paul
1. Limiting Beliefs About Our Background A limiting belief is any thought or mindset that you allow to keep you from doing something that you either want to do or have been tasked to do. Esther, a young Jewish orphan, though beautiful, didn’t have a background that would be considered worthy of royalty. Her limiting belief very well could’ve been that she was not qualified.
Even Extroverts Need Community
As an adult, I crave alone time. The funny thing is, I didn’t really think that alone time was something I would struggle to find, until one day, I woke up, a married woman with two kids and three dogs, and realized that I am never ever alone. While some people are afraid to be alone, I’m actually more afraid of the thought of never getting to be alone again. Months often go by when I don’t hang out with friends.
Even Introverts Need Community
As an adult, I crave alone time. The funny thing is, I didn’t really think that alone time was something I would struggle to find, until one day, I woke up, a married woman with two kids and three dogs, and realized that I am never ever alone. While some people are afraid to be alone, I’m actually more afraid of the thought of never getting to be alone again. Months often go by when I don’t hang out with friends.
Sometimes I Feel Numb, and That's Okay
Do you ever just want to be left alone? The kind of alone when you don’t have to talk to anyone, laugh at someone’s jokes, or be whatever it is people need you to be? Truth be told, this world can be exhausting, even for the most extroverted of us. The fatigue I experience from being all things to all people causes a sense of numbness and emptiness that I struggle to put words around.
How Aligning My Focus Helped Me Reach My Goals
I am a perpetual goal-breaker. In random bursts of energetic moments, I set high and lofty goals for myself. For example, in the first six months of last year, I should have lost ten pounds, ran in my first half-marathon, finished writing a book, and reorganized the whole house. Besides trying to be a middle-aged athlete, an author, and a super mom, I am also a supportive wife helping my husband run a business. Saying my plate was full was an understatement.
5 Signs Your Priorities Are Wrong
Contributing Writer Updated Jan 24, 2024 What are the things you allow to take up most of your time? Do you feel that you spend your time wisely? With how fleeting life is, we must be wise with our time. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (ESV) Typically, you can figure out a person’s priorities by their actions, how they spend their time, and their appearance.
5 Signs Your Priorities Are Wrong
What are the things you allow to take up most of your time? Do you feel that you spend your time wisely? With how fleeting life is, we must be wise with our time. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (ESV) Typically, you can figure out a person’s priorities by their actions, how they spend their time, and their appearance.
When Doubt Prevents Us from Chasing Our Dreams
Have you ever wanted something so badly that when it’s finally within reach, you don’t believe you’ll actually receive it? It’s a peculiar phenomenon how the idea of our dreams coming true and the doubt that they actually will exist in the same space. Contrary to what you may have been told, doubt, in and of itself, is not a sin.
The Direction Jeremiah 29:11 Has Given My Life
A memoir. I was 15 when my parents decided to uproot our life in San Diego and move to small-town Missouri. At an age when most kids are just figuring out who they are and where they belong, I was starting over. During my last youth group meeting before setting out across the country, one of the leaders handed me a folded-up piece of paper. It was a letter of encouragement.
20 Verses I Pray When I'm Worried My Teens Are Not Connecting to Christ
I have a confession to make. As a mom of two teenagers, I have good days when everything is picture-perfect. But then there are the days I'm an emotional wreck, the moments I no longer recognize my teenager. I try to convince myself my children's actions should not affect my ability to function; yet, when their actions don't align with how my husband and I raised them, rooted and founded on God's Word, I fall into a pit of despair.
What To Do When Life Gives You Thorns
If you are currently dealing with a thorn, pray for God to remove it. If He doesn't, trust He plans to use it for something good. While out for a morning walk, I admired the wildflowers sprouting along the road after the recent rains. Wanting to look closer, I tromped through some seemingly innocent weeds. After taking some photos, I felt something pricking at my feet and noticed tiny thorns had wriggled their way through my shoes and into my socks.
20 Verses I Pray When I'm Worried My Teens Are Not Connecting to Christ
I have a confession to make. As a mom of two teenagers, I have good days when everything is picture-perfect. But then there are the days I’m an emotional wreck, the moments I no longer recognize my teenager. I have a confession to make. As a mom of two teenagers, I have good days when everything is picture-perfect. But then there are the days I'm an emotional wreck, the moments I no longer recognize my teenager.
What to Do When You Unintentionally Hurt Someone
In my effort to understand how best to cope with others when a sincere apology just isn’t enough, I’ve come to the conclusion that there must be a solution besides just throwing my hands up in despair. No sooner had the words come out of my mouth did I regret them. I knew immediately that I had messed up. As I glanced over at my friend, her eyes darted away. Everything was fine literally three seconds ago, and now I’m at risk of losing a cherished friend all because of one careless comment.
How I Motivate Myself When I Don't Feel Like Reading the Bible
I know I’m supposed to read the Bible every day, but the problem is that I don’t always feel like reading the Bible. I’ll be honest with you, some days I want to sleep in, while other days I end up spending all my time browsing social media apps, and then there are those days that I just don’t know what to read. I sit there, Bible in my lap, and I can’t quite figure out where to start.
A Letter to the Woman Who Feels Unseen
The enemy’s greatest desire is that God’s children never know who they truly are in Him and what they are truly capable of. He is so afraid for us to know how God sees us because when we finally know this truth and believe it, the enemy knows he has lost his grip on us. To the Woman Who Doesn’t Feel Seen, Sometimes, I don’t feel seen. Can you relate? I tend to work quietly, keeping to myself, not purposely trying to attract attention, yet secretly hoping someone might notice me.
Prayers for the Mom Who Does It All, Part 2
Being a mom isn’t always glorious. I remember being young, dreaming of the day I’d be blessed with children. I imagined what it would be like. Then the day came when my son was born. It was one of the best days of my life; and as most moms would say, it was the day my life changed forever. But it didn’t turn out quite how I had imagined it would. Motherhood is hard. It gets lonely. It can be heartbreaking. We put our hearts and souls into our children.
Prayers for the Mom Who Does It All, Part 1
By Jen Jabbour, Crosswalk.com I have a confession to make. In my efforts to be the mom who does it all, I am often discouraged, as I grow exhausted. Feeling lonely and lacking self-confidence, my faith in my abilities as a mom start to wane. I’d like to say that I manage to balance my tasks as a mom with grace and resilience, without complaining and grumbling, and that I never, ever grow frustrated or impatient. If this is the expectation, then I have definitely failed in my role as a mom.
Prayers for the Mom Who Does It All, Part 2
Being a mom isn’t always glorious. I remember being young, dreaming of the day I’d be blessed with children. I imagined what it would be like. Then the day came when my son was born. It was one of the best days of my life; and as most moms would say, it was the day my life changed forever. But it didn’t turn out quite how I had imagined it would. Motherhood is hard. It gets lonely. It can be heartbreaking. We put our hearts and souls into our children.
Prayers for the Mom Who Does It All, Part 1
I have a confession to make. In my efforts to be the mom who does it all, I am often discouraged, as I grow exhausted. Feeling lonely and lacking self-confidence, my faith in my abilities as a mom start to wane. I’d like to say that I manage to balance my tasks as a mom with grace and resilience, without complaining and grumbling, and that I never, ever grow frustrated or impatient. If this is the expectation, then I have definitely failed in my role as a mom.
3 Books of the Bible That Are Easy to Read
Who says reading the Bible has to be complicated? Sometimes I just want to sit down and read and not have to really think too hard about what I’m reading. I want something simple to understand and to the point. I want to read it at face value. It’s easy to get caught up in the trap of thinking that every time we sit down to read the Bible, we must dig deep into the Bible until we discover something profound.
What If I Don't Feel God?
Hello, God? Are you there? Have you ever felt so alone in your struggles that you were compelled to ask that question? We all have had those times when it seems warranted to ask God where He is. If you can relate, just know that you are not the only one who feels this way at times. Actually, about two-thirds of all Christians experience spiritual doubt at some point in their spiritual life.
5 Signs Your Priorities Are Wrong
What are the things you allow to take up most of your time? Do you feel that you spend your time wisely? With how fleeting life is, we must be wise with our time. “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (ESV) Typically, you can figure out a person’s priorities by their actions, how they spend their time, and their appearance.
45 Psalms of Thanksgiving
A spirit of thanksgiving isn’t just a once-a-year thing. When we make giving thanks a part of our daily routine, it allows us to change our perspective and our approach to everyday struggles. For example, look at David, who wrote most of the Psalms. Despite all of his struggles, many of them self-inflicted, he still thanked and praised God. Even in his darkest moments, he proclaimed God’s goodness.
How to Make Joy a Constant in Life
We see it on the news every day: bad things happen to good people. We feel it in our own lives when we fight with each other, when we can’t afford to pay the bills, when we grieve the loss of a loved one, or when we get bad news for the third time this week. It’s likely that if you’re not currently going through a trial, you either just came out of one or you’re about to go in one. There are times when you are dealing with multiple trials at one time. Life is not easy.
How to Make Joy a Constant in Life
By Jen Jabbour, Crosswalk.com We see it on the news every day: bad things happen to good people. We feel it in our own lives when we fight with each other, when we can’t afford to pay the bills, when we grieve the loss of a loved one, or when we get bad news for the third time this week. It’s likely that if you’re not currently going through a trial, you either just came out of one or you’re about to go in one. There are times when you are dealing with multiple trials at one time. Life is not easy.
How to Make Joy a Constant in Life
We see it on the news every day: bad things happen to good people. We feel it in our own lives when we fight with each other, when we can’t afford to pay the bills, when we grieve the loss of a loved one, or when we get bad news for the third time this week. It’s likely that if you’re not currently going through a trial, you either just came out of one or you’re about to go in one. There are times when you are dealing with multiple trials at one time. Life is not easy.
4 Ways We Can Share the Christmas Message with Unbelievers
Can I be honest with you? I’m not very good at telling unbelievers about Jesus. Actually, when I’m around unbelievers, I kind of clam up and don’t know what I should say to help them believe. Those of us who are members of the household of faith long for our unbelieving loved ones to come to know God the way that we do, but we sometimes struggle with how best to lead them to God.
4 Lessons We Can Learn From the Shepherds
Have you ever been the first one to know about something really important? Isn’t it a great feeling? The shepherds in Luke 2:8-20 were the first ones to hear about the best news the world has ever known, the birth of Jesus, the eagerly anticipated Savior. You’ve probably heard the story of the shepherds since you were in preschool. After all, it’s part of the Christmas story we’ve all grown up hearing.
Why Do We All Seek, But Don’t All Find?
Growing up, I loved watching the Indiana Jones movies. Indy was always on the hunt for that next big treasure, but once he found it, he never seemed satisfied, and before long, he was off searching for the next one. Some may say it was because he loved the adventure and the thrill of the hunt, but my theory is that earthly treasures are never quite enough to quench the thirst of our souls. We always are left wanting more.
Why Do We All Seek, But Don’t All Find?
Growing up, I loved watching the Indiana Jones movies. Indy was always on the hunt for that next big treasure, but once he found it, he never seemed satisfied, and before long, he was off searching for the next one. Some may say it was because he loved the adventure and the thrill of the hunt, but my theory is that earthly treasures are never quite enough to quench the thirst of our souls. We always are left wanting more.
6 Ways to Practice Thanksgiving Every Day
I don’t mean that we ought to celebrate the actual holiday every day, but if we could glean from all the traditions we love about Thanksgiving, and incorporate those elements into our daily routines, imagine how much better this world could be. The key element of Thanksgiving and all of the other holidays is that we actually take the time to slow down. We are a society of overworked people. We work days and weeks on end, packing our days with chores, errands, projects, and other obligations.
8 Ways to Empathize with Those You Disagree With
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 ESV Compassion is empathy in action. Compassion asks, “How can I help?”. Compassion is a direct result of the feelings we have for others when we see them hurting. Since we have already recognized that most people acting in these undesirable ways are hurting, once we dig in and find the root cause, we can work with compassion.
What Is the Right Response When You’ve Been Wronged? Original
Are there people in your life who have hurt you? Do you find yourself wondering how God expects you to handle them? Even though we are instructed to love our enemies, live peaceably with others, turn the other cheek, and not seek revenge, does God really want us to be a punching bag? Does God, a loving Father, want his children to suffer? How much does He expect us to endure? At what point do we walk away? Is it ever okay to fight back? How do we make things right?
5 Questions to Help Us Understand Our Freedom in Christ
By Jen Jabbour, Crosswalk.com Have you ever stopped to consider what it really means to be free in Christ? Whether you are new in your faith or you’ve been walking with the Lord for some time, this concept may be confusing. Although I've been a Christ-follower most of my life, I’ve always just taken this concept for granted. But in reading through some of the passages of the Bible that discuss freedom in Christ (John 8, Romans 6-8, and Galatians 5), I started to have more and more questions.
5 Questions to Help Us Understand Our Freedom in Christ
Have you ever stopped to consider what it really means to be free in Christ? Whether you are new in your faith or you’ve been walking with the Lord for some time, this concept may be confusing. Although I've been a Christ-follower most of my life, I’ve always just taken this concept for granted. But in reading through some of the passages of the Bible that discuss freedom in Christ (John 8, Romans 6-8, and Galatians 5), I started to have more and more questions.
The Differences Between Tithing and Giving
As you deepen your relationship with God, you may feel stirrings in your heart to give back to God as a way to say thank you for all He has done for you, but you aren’t sure how you are supposed to do this. As you dig into the Scriptures, you’ll discover that the Bible presents two different ways to give back. Tithing and giving are actions we do as a direct result of what God has given us.
The Differences Between Tithing and Giving
As you deepen your relationship with God, you may feel stirrings in your heart to give back to God as a way to say thank you for all He has done for you, but you aren’t sure how you are supposed to do this. As you dig into the Scriptures, you’ll discover that the Bible presents two different ways to give back. Tithing and giving are actions we do as a direct result of what God has given us.
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