A Spiritual Harvest

  The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Matthew 9:37-38 A Farm Girl’s View of the Harvest Growing up as a farm girl in the Midwest, I was surrounded by the beauty of cornfields and the ever-changing landscape of those fields. Each season brought something new. But by far, my favorite time was harvest. As my father’s combine went rumbling through the fields, my heart would leap with excitement, and I couldn’t wait until he brought in the first load of grain. An entire year of hard work, sweat, and tears all led up to this one moment. What would the harvest bring? Laws of the Harvest At Read More

Do Not Give Up

Do Not Give Up “Do not give up on me, Lord! Oh please, do not give up!” This has been the cry of my heart. With all of my might, I cling to the Lord and lift up this simple prayer, desperately pushing back against the forces that try to diminish my faith and steal my joy. The enemy loves to bombard me with busyness and a thousand other distractions that persuade me to live as if everything else matters just a little more than Jesus. My eyes get fixed on a hundred worthless things, and they stray from the one thing that truly does matter: Jesus, the founder and perfecter of [my] faith (Hebrews 12:2). A Deceived Heart Why is my heart so easily Read More

What to Lose: My Plans and Expectations

A Series by Jill Holler – Part 3 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 If you read my last post, “What to Lose: My List of Failures,” you know that one way Satan tries to gain victory over me is by tempting me to focus on all of the mistakes I have made–instead of focusing on God. Similarly, the issue I address this week relates to my self-focused view.  It has been one of the biggest challenges of my Christian life. I pray that Christ will free me from its grip, so that I can gain abundant life in him. And I am praying the same for you.  Plans and Perceptions My mind Read More

What to Lose: My List of Failures

A Series by Jill Holler – Part 2 Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8 The Dreaded Feeling of Failure Although I know God can redeem my life from any sin or mistake I have made, there is something about failure that makes me want to crawl into a hole and hide. I have a hard time getting past the self-inflicted shame I feel when I’ve messed up in a pretty big way. Perhaps it’s the uncomfortable feeling of humiliation or the countless eyes of scrutiny that I perceive to be upon me. Maybe it’s the quiet, underlying feeling that somehow in relation to others, Read More

What to LOSE: Dreams without Action

A Series by Jill Holler – Part 1 Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. Ephesians 3:20 TLB Dreams from the Mountaintop I like to dream big for God. In my mind, I like to imagine all of the extraordinary ways I might use my life to serve Jesus Christ and glorify Him. I love to sit for hours and read God’s word, allowing it to transport me to a heavenly mountaintop with Jesus, where His presence is vivid and real, and I am astounded by the wonder of who He is and Read More