I see my generation on the other side of their childhood dreams, entering their 30s somewhat disillusioned. For some working 9-to-5 jobs, the greatest success is keeping the bills paid and the boss happy. For many moms, the biggest accomplishment of the week is a clean kitchen and 15 minutes of Bible reading. Others did some "great" things for God right after college... 2 year mission trips, interning in a ministry, striving to hit it big as a [fill-in-the-blank-with-ministry-job], but seeing that work dwindle they are wondering what's next. So much for changing the world for Jesus. Spiritual gifts and noble desires sit on the shelf unused, itching to find an outlet to prove their effectiveness while whispers of what could have been hang in the air.

I want to pose a very important question. A question my soul needs answered every day. Does God want us to do something great for Him?

What does it mean to be a Pharisee? How do we avoid their condemnable way of life? Here are a few identifying characteristics of these self-righteous, religious, anti-Jesus people.

Every one of us is susceptible to falling into pride. But it is the Pharisee's religious pride that is the most dangerous because it doesn't appear prideful on the outside, instead it has the external appearance of holiness.

Nothing is more attractive to me than feeling like I have the power to change my life and the promise of 7 easy steps entices me to click through and keep reading. I like feeling in control, like I have the power to change myself. Simultaneously, the thought of not reading makes me wonder, "How will I know if I've said any of the 5 things I should never tell my kids?" And then Jesus said, "Apart from Me, you can do nothing."

The phrase "wait on God" is always an affirmation of the reliability of God to come through for His people. Not only that, "wait on God" and "hope in God" are often used synonymously.

I married a humble, godly, romantic man at twenty years old. Did I mention he just happens to have a phenomenal voice and is a gifted songwriter? He writes me songs, loves Jesus like crazy, and because of his music career, we've traveled the world together. Every girls' dream, right? Yet, exactly two weeks into marriage, I wrote this in my journal:

"Why am I so unhappy? So scared and confused?”

Surprised? I was too. Let me explain.

We live in an all-about-me culture; we tend to be consumeristic and individualistic—even at church. As consumers, we are always asking: "What can I get out of this?" As individuals, we ask: "What does this have to do with me?" This way of thinking dismantles the primary metaphor describing the church: a body made of many parts.

What inner circle do you want to be in? Who are those "important people" in your life? These are the people who you keep your eye out for. Those you search for reasons to strike up a conversation with. The ones you don't want to miss when you walk through the halls or the lobby after church.

Why should we read the Bible every day? Does it make a difference? Is it just something good Christians do? Or is it a legalistic habit that’s unnecessary to a healthy walk with God? If we don't understand why it matters, we likely won't make it a priority. Here are five analogies to bring to life the purposes of a consistent, daily study of God's Word.

Likely many will affirm that knowing and loving the Bible key. After all, this is the foundation of our faith! Yet, in that quiet moment when you open its pages, the Bible can also be incredibly intimidating. Here are a few suggestions to make this task doable.

Chronicling your life is not the only function a journal can serve; those blank pages can be used in so many other ways! I'd like to share some pages from my own journals in the hope that it will get the creative juices flowing as you consider what it could look like for you to engage with God and seek Him with all your heart.

Pride—a desire to exalt oneself—is like an iceberg. It exists in the unseen realm of the heart and has many facets. Unlike the sins of adultery or addiction, pride cannot easily be spotted above the surface through actions. Because it infects the motives, any action, good or bad, can be contaminated with pride.

Because pride infects the motives, even the most spiritual actions, like praying, giving and serving, can be rooted entirely in arrogance and self-love. So how can we spot an unseen enemy? Let me offer one litmus test for pride: entitlement.

We must deal with this truth: God loves humble people. What does it mean to be humble? It is defined as a modest or low view of one’s own importance. How do we grow in humility? By having a clear view of God.

Cultivating humility begins with an accurate view of our Holy God and understanding that the only thing we deserve is wrath. But without the element of faith, you will stop short of true humility.

With email, texting, and Facebook, there really isn’t a need to write letters. But a letter can communicate things that an email never could. It is a form of communication that, when used strategically, can change lives and further the Gospel.