by Angele Tanyeri
The Collyde Summit is a gathering of passionate believers in the NY, NJ, and PA area, who love Jesus and are convicted to become world changers. Collyde turned out to be a life-changing experience for me! To gather and worship in this way was profound. It also gave me a chance to ‘collide’ with individuals I may not have had an opportunity to meet otherwise.
by Elise Daly Parker
So for pretty much the 30+ years my beloved and I have been married, we have been “working” on our finances. Initially, it was just a matter of trying to be responsible with our money and not get in over our heads with debt. Truth be told, our success was short term. Some of this was circumstantial – unanticipated life and salary changes threw us for a loop. But, really? We overspent.
by Kathleen Whittam
There is a nickname for people who only go to church on Christmas and Easter--a ChrEaster. My mom has long been a fan of the Christmas cactus, a plant that, oddly enough, blooms around Christmas as well as Easter. I started calling them a ChrEaster Cactus.
By Beth Stiff
I wanted to start from the beginning...
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.~ Genesis 1:1-2
My focal point was going to be on the three words God says over and over again in the first chapter of Genesis: “…it is good."
He looked at all He created and said it was good. ~ Genesis 1:31
Starting from the beginning sounded like a good plan because I’m currently reading from the Book of Genesis and those three words jumped off the pages as I read. If we believe everything He said as truth, and he says those three words several times, I’m thinking those words are rather important. [Continue Reading...]
by Elise Daly Parker
Even if you don’t go for a big New Year’s Eve celebration, the New Year can mark a fresh start, a new beginning, a shift in focus. It’s a good time to take a look back at the past, and consider a vision for the year ahead.
Many people choose a New Year’s resolution or two… [Continue Reading...]
by Kimberly Coyle
You and I might not be artists in the capital “A” sense, but we all have dreams that rise up from the dark and quiet places of our heart. God knit you together in a particular fashion, and the world may not believe it, and your family might not understand it, and your paycheck may not reflect it, but you can honor the dream and respect it.
Brooke Lynn is a writer and speaker who lives passionately — reaching others with God’s Word and love. Circles of Faith (COF) had the opportunity get to know the author a little better. She’s an ordinary woman doing extraordinary things for God. We hope her story encourages and inspires you to take that next step toward what God is calling you to do.
by Angele Tanyeri
After visiting my dermatologist and being tested for allergies, I discovered that I am allergic to a highly common, toxic chemical found in almost all of our everyday products – from dish soap to cosmetics. Despite my best efforts to be healthy, I was contaminating my body on a daily basis. Then add the daily intake of certain dietary components…it was no wonder my immune system was out of whack.
By Micalagh Moritz
After a year and a half of living in Belize, Central America, my husband and I have returned to the United States…a bit sooner than expected, and a bit surprised to be coming home pregnant! God has not disappointed us. Over and over again in these past two months, we have been provided for by family, friends, and even strangers.
by Elise Daly Parker
I cried. I cried out. I was desperately sad, living a nightmare for a time. I just couldn’t square God’s supposed love for me with this loss. He was God…He could’ve prevented this and He didn’t. Turned out this God who I thought was for me, was cruel and heartless.
by Kimberly Amici
It was the middle of the afternoon when I received the call. The voice on the other end was my best friend. A girl I’ve known since kindergarten, the one who had been through thick and thin with me. The one who was about to walk yet another journey with me. She sounded calm as she said, “Did you hear what happened?”
by Elizabeth Myer
The sound of the heartbeat monitor made a slow decent into a flat line…My heart knew before I heard the final beep, that he was gone. It's been almost eight years since I last held my sweet laughing baby boy in my arms. Eight years of aching to hold him. Eights years of knowing my life will never be the same. Eight years of being gloriously ruined. As a young wife and mother, just barely 22, I was planning my child's funeral.
by Wodline Hippolyte
It was the time of year when all high school seniors were applying to colleges. I was both excited and nervous because I didn’t know if I would be accepted into the schools I applied to. And if I did get in, how were my parents going to pay for my tuition? I was considered an international student, so my parents had to pay out-of-pocket.
by Chelle Wilson
Leave it to me to quietly manage a miscarriage while hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner Party for 12…I am superwoman (or so I thought). I can manage anything (I foolishly believed). I am in control (I never was).
by Susan Panzica
I grew up in a Jewish home, a mosh-pit of damaged emotions. My parents had separated before I was born, reunited, but eventually divorced when I was 13. There were deep emotional issues that lingered on into adulthood. I was shy, fearful, and filled with insecurities.
by Elaine O'Neill
I did not understand. Devastation, frustration, and confusion filled my heart and mind. Why didn’t God answer my prayer? Maybe I should have prayed harder. Proverbs 30:16 says that one thing that cannot be satisfied is the barren womb. The issue of childlessness shook my heart and I fell apart emotionally.
by Micalagh Moritz
I first experienced an extended time of silence when I was entering college. It was during a pre-Orientation 10-day backpacking trip called, appropriately, Exodus. I had recently begun my own “exodus” from my bustling, suburban hometown of Montclair, New Jersey, where I had spent most of my life, to a small, rural town in Pennsylvania.
by Angele Tanyeri
I was a teenager about to embark on the journey of freedom, and experience the privilege, growth, and independence the high school experience had to offer. Like many young girls, I had dreams, goals, and plans for the next four years of my life. It started out picture-perfect.
by Satin Pelfrey
When I introduce myself as flawed and messy, it’s because I’m truly just that. My past is tattered with two failed marriages, physical and emotional abuse, and adultery. I used to be in church ministry, attended regularly, and was betrayed there as well. I’ve made mistakes I’m not proud of, hurt people I never intended to hurt, and been wounded by people I trusted far more than I should have.
by Megan Romeo
I can remember vividly the moments of growth I have had in my spiritual life with my Heavenly Father. As is often the case, my heart was tugged and the soul stretched. It brought a fire, a renewed spirit, and a drive to seek more of Him and less of me.
by Kim Hyland
There were hospitalizations, neonatal intensive care units, needles, lines, words I'd never heard before…and a peace and intimacy that took me totally by surprise. During that time I walked nearer to God, or He walked nearer to me, than I ever thought was possible. It was not a "Pollyana-ish," manufactured, everything will be alright, fake faith. But a solid rock surety of God's sovereignty no matter what the outcome. Even death. Easy to say, I know. But that's what we were facing.
by Kristin Hill Taylor
“God, please let us become pregnant” was replaced with questions about what adoption would mean for us. This came after 22 months of trying to conceive. A doctor who knew far more than we did told us our best odds of getting pregnant would come with in-vitro fertilization – which was our self-imposed boundary to let go of trying to become parents biologically. We thanked him for the information and headed home.
by Toni Campbell
It had been one of those days. I was being pummeled from all sides–finances, work, the kids, and my estranged husband.My shoulders heaved uncontrollably as I wept, and the tears that cascaded down my cheeks obscured my vision to the point that I was struggling not to drive off the road. As I gulped for air in between the racking sobs all I could manage was, “Oh God, oh God, oh God!”
by Kimberly Coyle
My own story doesn’t have the flash or the dramatic appeal of these broken ones. It’s the story of a slow burn, how God scooped me up as a child fresh from my mother’s womb and how He carried me every day since. In my story, there is no conversion experience or years of running or dark night of the soul. There is three-year-old me singing my little songs to Jesus.
By Noelle Rhodes
I live in Northern Ireland as a missionary.People ask me all the time what exactly is my “role” here as missionary. After all, Northern Ireland is a first-world country and there are no poisonous snakes for me to combat. I don’t live in a hut nor have I had to learn a new language (although, I would argue the latter).
