Jenny Bender

View Full Post   It’s easy to see God’s goodness in hindsight, isn’t it? But what about in the middle of those times that seem anything BUT good?

View Full Post   I say, “No worries” an awful lot for someone who actually does worry WAY too much about pretty much everything. Anxiety & worry are things that I’ve dealt with since early childhood—worry and I go way, WAY back. I’d REALLY love to tell you that after so many years of battling with worry & anxiety, it’s no longer a problem, but the truth is that even as an adult who has been a Christ follower for my whole life, worry is still an ongoing struggle for me…

View Full Post   Who says musical theater can only be enjoyed by those who can hear? I LOVE this idea, and bless each of these ASL interpreters for putting so much time & effort into learning EVERY. SINGLE. LINE. AND. LYRIC to one of the most legendary musicals...

View Full Post   You're going to need your kleenex for this...Abraham is a teen in foster care in Charlotte, North Carolina. He recently celebrated a birthday and when his foster family surprised Abraham with his first-ever birthday cake, his reaction had everyone in the room (and everyone on the internet) in tears...

View Full Post   Seeing the world through the window of an airplane also puts into perspective just how massive the earth is, and how small each of us are. The clouds & sky go on as far as the eye can see, cars look like ants, and trees look like little pieces of broccoli. It really is mind-blowing! What’s even more mind-blowing to me, though, is that the God who spoke all of this into existence with deliberate, intentional plans, also deliberately & intentionally created you and me! There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about “accidental” or “unplanned” lives. I’m not here to debate politics, but I am here to remind you of what GOD says...

View Full Post   I'm not into sports, like AT ALL, but this video has officially made me a South Carolina Gamecocks fan (much to the disappointment of my diehard Georgia Bulldog husband)...

View Full Post   I was NOT expecting a conversation with a stranger to turn into a reminder from God that He never wastes a hurt, but that’s exactly what happened…

View Full Post   On May 14th, my husband and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. For me, it's always a day to not only thank God for a great husband, but also to thank Him for those relationships that DIDN'T work out (because yes, there were quite a few toads before my Prince Charming came along!) One day, I came across this article by Diane Stark at Focus OnThe Family. It completely changed how I thought about dating, relationships and crushes, and to this day, I know that God used this illustration to not only steer me away from the wrong relationship, but also to reveal the one I had been waiting for...

View Full Post   For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been in spring cleaning mode, tackling projects that I’ve avoided because they’re so messy & out of control – cleaning out closets, organizing cabinets, etc. Yesterday’s project was my nightstand, which might not sound like a big spring cleaning project, but trust me: it was an absolute WRECK. It’s my catch-all junk drawer and I literally had not cleaned it out in like five years, so yeah...it was long overdue for some cleaning up & cleaning out. I spent a couple of hours pulling everything out of the night stand, sorting through books, papers, hair clips, and other random stuff, ranging from 18 tubes of chapstick to the combination lock from my middle school locker...and something that reminded me how God knows just what we need when we need it – and sometimes He’ll even use a spring cleaning project to speak to your heart...

View Full Post   When life so full and hectic, it can feel overwhelming. Why? Because we’re trying to do it all on our own and we like to be in control. At some point, it all just gets to be too much – and God will often use those crazy, chaotic times to remind us that we were never meant to control or carry it all on our own...