It should be no surprise to anyone to hear that Christianity in America is struggling. Church attendance is dropping rapidly, and youth ministries and campus ministries are closing their doors all across the country. Nonprofit Christian organizations struggle to find volunteers. While 85% of Americans claimed to be Christians in 1990, that percentage has dropped …
Author Archives: Lydia Shearin
A Silent Generation
Photo by Burst on Pexels.com “We have become a headphone generation, preferring to listen to our music in silence than utter a single word of acknowledgement to a stranger, maybe even a friend. Hellos and goodbyes have been replaced by head nods and fist bumps. Emotions are trapped in their emotional cages, and a person’s …
For Dave
Today I want to write about a man named Dave. You will probably never meet this man, and I will probably never see him again, but the wisdom he shared remains the same. I met this 60-year-old saint during a Fall retreat this weekend, and some of the things he said, I will remember for …
Puzzle Pieces
It is interesting how the stories we tell reflect the values of our society. As children, most of us heard the tale of Goldilocks, the impudent girl who broke into the bears’ home, ate their food, destroyed their furniture, and slept in their bed. However, as we know, Goldilocks was no ordinary intruder- she didn’t …
Patterns of Memory
Two weeks ago, I spoke about the importance of creating tangible reminders of God’s presence in our lives, but the israelite example of gathering rocks and building an altar wherever they saw God move isn’t always practical. Beleive me, the Walmart employees will not approve of of you stacking up rocks in the check out …
Revival 101
” A necessary precursor of any great spiritual awakening is a spirit of deep humiliation growing out of a consciousness of sin, and fresh revelation of the holiness and power and glory of God.”-John R. Mott Well, August has come to a close, not only marking the end of Summer, but also the end of …
A Portrait of an Over-thinker
I don’t know about you, but when it comes to the most simple things in life, I am prone to grossly overthink the situation, to the point of indecision. Case in point: A compliment Nothing drives me to the precipice of confusion as much as a compliment. Now I am not talking about the well …
Scars
I think it’s safe to say that almost everyone has scars. As the singer Toby Mac says, “Scars come with living”. Statistically, 77% of people already have a scar by the time they are a teenager, and over 100 million people acquire new scars every year. There is nothing uncommon about a simple scar. However, …
Paint, Provision, and a Pair of Shoes
My “mission shoes” Even though it was mid-July, I shivered as the cool night air blew through my dripping hair. With cold streams of paint running down my back, shaving cream coating my right arm, and water squelching in my shoes, I slogged back towards the college dorm in which I was staying. Shouts and …
God’s Miraculous Mission
While some people would say that the best part of summer vacation is their yearly beach trip or that Forth of July cookout, the highlight of the summer for me is Vacation Bible School. If you have never listened to 60 children scream John 3:16 at the top of their lungs, or taught those same …
Soli Deo Gloria 