Resources by Topic: Salvation & My New Identity
45 Spiritual Birthday Gifts
Forty-five birthday gifts God gives us when we become His children. Continue Reading
True Woman Manifesto
If you see biblical womanhood as a gift from God, and agree with this True Woman Manifesto, sign it at www.TrueWoman.com. Continue Reading
. . . with surprising results. Continue Reading …
It's a verse so well worn that it seems to have lost some of its luster, but we still need John 3:16. Continue Reading …
What difference do the cross and the empty tomb make for those who are facing pain or tears or failure? Continue Reading …
The gospel has always gone down smooth for me. Yes, God forgave me of my sins. Yes, that is good news. But honestly, there wasn't that much to forgive . . . Continue Reading …
Do you seek to satisfy the thirst of your heart in ways that are dishonoring to God? The Lord is seeking to fill the void of our hungry souls with Himself. Continue Reading …
For the first time, I understood Jesus didn't die to forgive me of my sin and leave me in it. He died to forgive and to free me from the power of sin! Continue Reading …
Do you think the apostle Paul's instruction to "be kind" is only for bickering children? The answer might not be what you first think. Continue Reading …
When materialism oozes out of me and pride puffs me up and apathy makes me cold and gluttony fills my belly and lust satisfies my eyes . . . Continue Reading …
Identifying with Christ shapes the hours of my day and defines who I am becoming. I'm not content to stay the same. Continue Reading …
One of the occasions I make a big deal about each year is May 14, 1963--the day when as a young girl I first consciously trusted the Lord Jesus to save me. Continue Reading …
A snow-blanketed junk yard or trash heap looks as beautiful as rolling hills or a forest because all you can see is the snow. The same is true in our lives. Continue Reading …
I don't want Noah to be a sinner! Because somehow it seems if Noah could live righteously in a world gone terribly wrong, then surely so can I. Continue Reading …
When the kids wake early from their naps, or my phone conversation is interrupted, I quickly think, "Ugh, can't I just get a break? Continue Reading …
It's easy to cast ourselves among the few who, like Mary Magdalene, were appalled by the cross, isn't it? But C.J. Mahaney makes a compelling case otherwise. Continue Reading …
In a culture that constantly celebrates women's independence and freedom, do you find it strange that a book about bondage is spreading like wildfire? Continue Reading …
Trying to impress God? Lina can relate. Continue Reading …
After establishing himself as the new neighborhood bully, he followed up by announcing that he’s a pastor, and if we ever need prayer, he’d be happy to help. Continue Reading …
Orphans teach us about the love of God, call us to sacrifice, and challenge us to value Christ-likeness above our comfort. Continue Reading …
I think it is possible for the gospel to become like the I-15 was to me: white noise. Continue Reading …
As I studied these passages and became aware of the wedding imagery in the New Testament, my understanding of Jesus Christ's love for me was deepened. Continue Reading …
It's not easy to speak truth in love when others assume we're judging their actions. But carefully sharing the truth may be one of the most loving things we can do. Here's why . . . Continue Reading …
The theology of grace comes alive not in the textbooks of seminaries but in the ugly mess of our sinful living. Continue Reading …
Mayra spent her life seeking money, success, respect, and control . . . only to discover that none of these things brought satisfaction. Continue Reading …
As a firstborn, I have a strong desire to please, but I'm realizing I have an even stronger desire not to fail! Continue Reading …
Do you feel like an ugly, broken, sinful mess covered by the thin veneer of togetherness? Continue Reading …
The gospel is meant to change everything about our lives. Everything. Continue Reading …
When Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus to a dinner party at his house. Jesus came, but from the moment he stepped in the door, it was obvious how “welcome” he really was . . . Continue Reading …
Nothing is random, everything has meaning, there is perfect harmony even in what looks chaotic. Continue Reading …
I always knew the standard was perfection. Maybe it's because I'm a firstborn, or because I was raised on the Bible. Either way, I knew I didn't measure up. Continue Reading …
I was looking for love in all the wrong places. I never could have imagined where this trek would take me. Continue Reading …
Rejection is a bitter pill all of us have to swallow at some point, but here's a truth that will transform the way you respond from the inside out. Continue Reading …
If seeing Jesus and the Gospel in the Old Testament sounds like just what you need, meet back here on the blog tomorrow and Thursday and enjoy Him together. Continue Reading …
Our performance culture tells us that on our good days God smiles on us, and on our bad days he frowns at us. But the gospel tells us something different. Continue Reading …
My eyes filled with tears as I whispered, “Really, Lord? It’s grace I need? It’s grace You’re whispering to this heart overwhelmed by circumstances and sin?” Continue Reading …
Holidays...beneath the good food, parties, and presents, every heart craves the warmth and security that comes from being with loved ones in a haven of plenty. Continue Reading …
Not only is this birthday a reminder that I’m no spring chicken, it also has me wondering where the dancing has gone. Continue Reading …
Do you ever find that sometimes who you actually are seems so different than who you are called to be? Continue Reading …
I guess I've always thought Noah was a really good guy living in a generation when everyone else was really, really bad. Continue Reading …
We are deeply and hopelessly damaged, just like cracked pots, but God is the master Redeemer. Continue Reading …
God uses adoption to redeem one of the many broken aspects of our sin-sick world. Continue Reading …
When you find yourself forgetting or doubting once again, pick up the Word and sit under the cross in wonder. Continue Reading …
Most of us are where my friend was. We know that the resurrection is important but we haven't connected it with our daily lives. Continue Reading …
Jesus has changed my life. I am so filled with love and joy that I am unrecognizable to even my husband. Continue Reading …
I could have been the poster child for the lie of "I'm not good enough." If feeling inadequate was an Olympic event, I would have been on the Wheaties box. Continue Reading …
If you're searching for God, in actuality, you are being sought by God Himself. Continue Reading …
A magnificent exchange of the blood of the perfect On for all of my deep, dark, even secret ugly sins seems, well, illogical and unfair. Isn't more required? Continue Reading …
Imagine if Jesus were to suddenly show up. . . . The resurrected Savior is standing in the midst of your daily reality with His eyes fixed intently on you. Continue Reading …
Kristen thought sex was a stepping stone toward a deep, meaningful relationship. But soon, what she thought she controlled started to control her. Continue Reading …
In spite of the fact that there are billions of people on this planet, the world watched and cared deeply for number 16 . . . for number 33. Continue Reading …
Thirst, a longing for more, an unfulfilled craving, these were the desires that drove her from man to man . . . Continue Reading …
Without question, the highlight of my Christmas holidays was the opportunity to visit and minister in a maximum security women's prison in Arkansas. Continue Reading …
You've heard of mommy wars, right? Where every mom tries to be everything perfect—and more? We've got some good news: you don't have to join in. Continue Reading …
I thought being a good Christian meant keeping a lot of rules (don't do this, don't do that). So I didn't. And that made me feel good and proud about myself. Continue Reading …
So many times I’ve thought “I don’t want to ever forget this moment.” Continue Reading …
If the news about my biopsy had been different, if it had been cancer, if it had been a life-threatening report . . . would I have reacted differently? Continue Reading …
Today I want to share several videos with you. If I could, I’d make homemade caramel popcorn for you to munch on (my personal movie tradition) as you watch... Continue Reading …
I am tired of letting the world—even one that proclaims to be Christian—dictate who I am and what I must be. Continue Reading …
The added rumble of thunder--without the threat of a lightning storm--only adds to the afternoon drama. Continue Reading …
God takes our broken and needy conditions, and through the work of Christ "in us," He reveals "His eternal power and divine nature." Continue Reading …
We all have an insatiable appetite for good news. Here's some for you. Continue Reading …
Learn how God can forgive us without making us pay our 'fair share.' Continue Reading …
It's a promise; not a command: 'Sin will have no dominion over you.' Continue Reading …
Let it sink in deep. God loved you first! Continue Reading …
A great way to prepare for Easter! Continue Reading …
When you feel run-down, where do you turn? It's tempting to seek out the temporal pleasures of pop-culture, but Jesus shows us the secret to true refreshment. Continue Reading …
In a secluded area of a hotel, I came face to face with a suspicious looking man twice my size. My instinctive radar shot off alarming distress signals. Continue Reading …
We often sum people up by outward appearance. Unfortunately, our wrong assumptions can affect the way we treat others, even our brothers and sisters in Christ. Continue Reading …
As a young girl, I enjoyed watching Captain Von Trapp and Maria in The Sound of Music discover their love for each other and thinking, “Wow! How romantic!” Continue Reading …
The gospel compels us to tackle mercy ministries, but we must never replace sharing the gospel of the kingdom with the kingdom service of the gospel. Continue Reading …
I see you there, crumpling up that sheet of paper, tossing it into the waste basket and wondering if anything good will come out of your life. Continue Reading …
Teaching my children to treasure Jesus begins with me—my own passion for Jesus Christ and His Word. Continue Reading …
Teens need you to help them see how Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection has everything to do with their Friday nights and Monday mornings—and everything in-between. Continue Reading …
The Good News is that the Gospel is true. And it’s not about us. Continue Reading …
Without the God Factor my schedule would overwhelm me, criticism would destroy me, and life would overtake me. I owe my life to the God Factor. Continue Reading …
While I was never a big fan of that mopey donkey, Eeyore, I never imagined how the shadow of gloom in his world would one day permeate my own life. Continue Reading …
You know how a child will take her first steps and then fall face-first on the ground? No parent exclaims, “Idiot!” when this happens. Rather, “Get the camera!” Continue Reading …
God's grace is like an ambulance that races to the point of our need the minute a call for help is made. But if we don't call, the ambulance doesn't come. Continue Reading …
I hate math, but sometimes I act as if numbers are my thing. I'm guilty of counting "likes" on my Instagram post, RSVPs to my party, and visitors to my blog. Continue Reading …
I've always felt like I am the odd one out . . . like everyone else is on the inside and I’m standing outside pleading to be let in. Continue Reading …
Perhaps you need reminded that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Here's some tender truth just for you. Continue Reading …
We are all legalists at heart, prone to think we deserve something from our God for our good works. Continue Reading …
For a few moments it felt like I was actually there viewing Jesus' suffering, experiencing the trauma, and recognizing the weight of my sin on His ravaged body. Continue Reading …
"This is a foreshadowing of Christ, who in Himself is the only One who has the right to take as His own all our hurt, disaster, alienation, brokenness . . ." Continue Reading …
As you celebrate the freedom others won for us, I pray Jesus continues to free us up to fully live and enjoy the abundant life He purchased for us! Continue Reading …
One month as I sat down to write my landlord a note to accompany my rent check, I tried slipping God into my talk of cable cords, nail holes, and trashcans. . . Continue Reading …
"We come from the stars. . . . How amazing is that?" These were Oprah's opening words at The Life You Want Weekend 2014 Tour. Continue Reading …
Enjoy getting to know True Woman's newest blogger today as she introduces herself and marvels at some of God's undeserved gifts. Continue Reading …
Relive the Easter story with Cleopas and his friend. Continue Reading …
Each year I walk past Toronto's Bay Street Christmas windows and just for fun choose which festive scene I would step into for the night if I could. Continue Reading …
Why do we pray as though we need to dust ourselves off and clean ourselves up so that God will accept us, hear us, and love us? Continue Reading …
Wrapped up in busyness for God and family, I allowed my own ideas about life to take precedence over seeking God's face. Continue Reading …
Life isn't fair. Sin has broken this world and everyone in it. Things are a mess. Fair is no longer an option. Grace, however, is still on the table. Continue Reading …
Read why Kimberly gets so excited when she hears a woman say she wants to know God. Continue Reading …
One night my husband's team decided to do street evangelism holding up a large wooden cross as they preached and handed out tracts. Continue Reading …
Through the years, I transitioned into and out of many identities: wife, daughter, mom, psychologist, author, friend, and radio personality. Continue Reading …
The qualities of God are vast and impressive, but they become even more so when we get serious about who we really are. Continue Reading …
How are we to present the gospel of Christ to a world that views Him as something different or less than we believe Him to be? Continue Reading …
Santa just can't wrap his brain around the message of the Gospel. Can you? Continue Reading …
Jennifer Rothschild is blind, but it would only be a waste of time for you to feel sorry for her. Continue Reading …
This little girl was slumped in her chair looking hopeless and defeated. Her dark eyes met mine and she hesitantly whispered, “Will you give me grace?” Continue Reading …
It’s so easy to SAY I believe God’s Spirit lives in me, but as I examine my life, it’s obvious I don’t, because my daily living just doesn’t reflect His power. Continue Reading …
"Who are you?" This is one of the central questions addressed in Ephesians—the question of our identity. Continue Reading …
God's grace is like oxygen to our soul. Learn why we can't live without it and how to remain connected to His grace. Continue Reading …
Are we raising a generation that buys 'Jesus on the cheap'? Or do they truly know and follow Him? Continue Reading …
We often believe freedom is ours when we’re our own authority and we call the shots. But Scripture tells a different story. Continue Reading …
Contrary to what we often believe, learning to feel good about ourselves is not the secret to overcoming insecurity. Continue Reading …
If you're striving to impress God, you can stop. Find freedom in the word "accepted." Continue Reading …
The more you measure your worth by your stats, the more you need stats to feel worthy. Continue Reading …
Here's a reminder that we know the most beautiful story that's ever been told—and we're meant to share it. Continue Reading …
With so many words already circling the stratosphere, I often stare down this question: "Why should I keep writing?" Continue Reading …
The cross is an exclusive and narrow road. It is a broad invitation, but those who follow are few. Continue Reading …
Are you grappling with discouraging failure? Know that you are defined not by failure, but by the victory of the cross. Continue Reading …
You were meant for boasting. Just not in yourself. Continue Reading …
Here’s Scripture for those days when the liar, the enemy of our souls, fights to steal your identity, leaving you bewildered in confusion. Continue Reading …
Do you love Jesus deeply, intimately? Instead of merely accepting a “package deal,” have you fallen in love with a Person? Continue Reading …
Truthfully, some days I’m just plain weary of the worry and the work that comes with being the parent of a special-needs child. Continue Reading …
We're all tempted by the desires of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life to find significance—but in Christ, we don't have to chase after applause. We rest in His finished work. Continue Reading …
As much as I may prefer to view my failure through my own lens, only His perspective is really important. So what is it? How does God see my failures? Continue Reading …
The sting of being left out is one we hope to avoid. But exclusion also offers us an opportunity for growth. Continue Reading …
I am physically, mentally, and spiritually dependent on the Lord God for every single thing—right down to the most basic function of being alive—the need to breathe. Continue Reading …
Ultimately, carrying a baby is about faithfully serving Christ. It means the reward of pregnancy isn’t just the baby. It’s becoming more like Jesus. Continue Reading …
Leaders will encounter no end of women who are building identities on foundations that can only crumble under pressure—and we may be one of them. Continue Reading …
What mother could ever fathom she’d one day visit her own child in federal prison? Continue Reading …
The moment our salvation becomes ordinary, we open the door for something else to captivate our hearts: apathy toward God and the gospel. Continue Reading …
Will you find your worth in His eyes instead of what is reflected on the bathroom wall? Continue Reading …
God’s gifts are meant to be received with joy and embraced with gratitude—but ultimately, they ought to point our hearts to the only One who is truly good. Continue Reading …
When our accuser drags our sin before the throne, the Father’s finest treasure, refined by fire, stands in our stead. Continue Reading …
Just like children, we tend to view discipline as only negative. Scripture tells us, though, that discipline from the Lord is actually a mercy. Continue Reading …
Even our greatest undoing, tilled in tears and surrender, may just be the fertile soil where life begins. Continue Reading …
God loved you enough to send His Son as messenger from heaven to earth—not to condemn you for your sin, but to save you from it. Continue Reading …
Knowing our identity is in Christ is one thing, but understanding how that practically changes the way we live is another. Continue Reading …
My life does not look like a perfect Instagram post. And, since we’re being honest here, my heart is far from neat, pretty, and put-together. Continue Reading …
Beyond the Masquerade
The Christian life can feel like a big game . . . trying to become someone so that God will notice you. God died not only to save you from sin, but to rescue you from the meaninglessness of this world's definition of your significance. Dr. Juli Slattery will challenge you from her journey to find God's love and break ...
The Christian life can feel like trying to become someone so that God will notice you. God died to save you from sin and to rescue you from meaninglessness. Continue Reading
Vicki’s Gnawing Emptiness (Profile Video)
Growing up in New York City, Vicki had always thought that being rich, famous, and in Women's Wear Daily would bring happiness and fulfillment. But after all those things had happened, she was still empty.
Vicki had always thought that being rich and famous would bring happiness and fulfillment. But after all those things had happened, she was still empty. Continue Reading
Clara Nathalie’s Story (Profile Video)
God's Word prevailed to heal and restore the soul of a young woman whose life had undergone much destruction. (Note: This message is in Spanish and has subtitles in English.)
God's Word prevailed to heal and restore the soul of a young woman whose life had undergone much destruction. Continue Reading
Finding Christ in an Unlikely Place
Jennifer Smith shares her powerful testimony of the freedom she found when Christ awakened her to the gospel while incarcerated—when her sin collided with the cross. Jennifer then joins a panel of women who also came to know the Lord while serving sentences at McPherson’s Women Prison in Arkansas. Watch them share their radical life-change stories.
Jennifer Smith shares her story of the freedom she found when Christ awakened her to the gospel while incarcerated. Continue Reading
Hang in there, sweet friend. You are loved, and your life matters to God and for His kingdom purposes. Continue Reading …
Without Jesus, our lives and hearts are dark, not merry and bright. Continue Reading …
Sinners know they need mercy the way sick people know they need a doctor. Continue Reading …
In Christ, you aren’t who you used to be. Continue Reading …
I am a failure. I cannot do it. But Christ in me is more than enough. Continue Reading …
From the Old Testament to the New, God shows grace to condemned sinners, continually pointing to the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. Continue Reading …
God’s grace is at work in us, changing us into the image of Christ—and we can rest assured that God will continue this work until it is complete in glory. Continue Reading …
Grace is not something to claim in a casual way but something that should cause us to respond in gratitude, worship, and good works. Continue Reading …
Your goals and expectations need a foundation in God and the truth—then His glory can be displayed in tiny moments, big accomplishments, and everything in-between. Continue Reading …
Legalism may be easier, but it leads to chains. Reliance upon God is always better. Continue Reading …
You can be filled with genuine, steadfast hope in 2019. Here’s why. Continue Reading …
Our greatest need is to be saved from the power of sin and death to life in Jesus Christ. Continue Reading …
Believer, here’s five reasons not to get tired of the good news. Continue Reading …