Hi! I’m Kelly.

My life goal is to convince as many people as possible that nothing compares to simply knowing Jesus!

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Blog

The Tension in Our Hope

Mar 19, 2019

Mar 19, 2019

Mar 19, 2019

The Gift of a Friend's Rebuke

Feb 21, 2019

Feb 21, 2019

Feb 21, 2019

I'm Writing a Book

Jun 8, 2018

Jun 8, 2018

Jun 8, 2018

Connecting with God through the Word

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018

May 1, 2018

Replicating Our Faith

Apr 24, 2018

Apr 24, 2018

Apr 24, 2018

Biblical Womanhood & the Gospel: an audio message

Apr 15, 2018

Apr 15, 2018

Apr 15, 2018

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All activity, when done to showcase God’s all-surpassing worth, is important.
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Whether you are working behind a desk today, or buckling kids into car seats for the thousandth time. Whether you are writing a book, or writing a check to the dentist. Whether you are fighting for contentment in singleness, or fighting for contentment in marriage. Whatever you aware doing, it matters when done for the glory of Christ!
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The world around us values certain tasks more than others. To the culture around us, it’s always better to be the CEO than to be the receptionist.
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Not so in God’s kingdom! God does not discriminate against our activities. It matters little *what* we are doing, but rather it matters *why* we are doing it.
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So let’s think like our God! Let’s not value certain activities more than others. Instead, may it be said of all Christians that we work hard and take seriously every task set before us, whether it’s cleaning a bathroom or speaking on a stage, so that Jesus may be seen as more glorious!
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“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” - 1 Corinthians 10:31
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography
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#ordinarymoments #ordinarypeople #everydaymoments #momlife #forthegloryofgod #changetheworld

Tonight was the ending of an era. Seven years of leading college students in our home. Seven years of tirelessly pointing to Jesus. Seven years of helping students understand the Word of God. Few things have been as rewarding as this season!
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Tonight our students prayed over us and encouraged us. They even got us a rock of remembrance for this season! What a great night!
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I can’t wait to see what God does in these precious brothers and sisters!
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#discipleship #makedisciples #collegeministry

Our son is Indian. And I LOVE it!
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Adoption is such a complex and multifaceted miracle full of great joys and deep loss. And I am so grateful for all the abundant help there is today for adoptive parents to serve their kiddos well.
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One way we’re working to serve our son is by incorporating his rich Indian heritage into our every day life. Since he’s still young, that mainly means Indian food is frequently on the menu.
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Even at this young age, he’s proud of being Indian! It’s so amazing to hear him say, “Mommy, you’re making my India food?” Yes sweetheart, your fabulous India, that’s the kind of food we’re having tonight!
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Adoptive parents, what else are you doing to serve your kids well? What ways do you celebrate your child’s ethnic heritage (if it’s different than yours) and how are you helping your child process their story? Would love to hear from you!
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See more Indian cooking from tonight in my story. I wish there was a smell feature on Instagram. Because there is nothing like the smell of Indian food!
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#indiaadoption #indianfood #adoptionjourney #adoptionrocks #internationaladoption #adoptivemom #adoptivefamily #momliferocks #momlife

Day 2 of filming complete! Keep an eye out for these conversations about friendship coming this summer! (See my story for more footage from today.)

This is what it’s really like with the Needham’s during a photoshop: @jimmyneedham being funny and me laughing. As someone who grew up acting, he enjoys being behind the camera. But me? I turn into a strange combination of awkwardness and laugher. Thus, pictures like this one.
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When it came time to select pictures to keep from @charityclaytonphotography, I had to have this one! Jimmy asked me, “why are you keeping that one?!” My answer: because it just felt so genuine, so real life, so us. And for those reasons, I love it.
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Grateful for you, Jimmy. Wouldn’t be who I am today without your faithful pursuit of Jesu day after day.

Esther got married, had a difficult conversation, and hosted a party.
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Rebekah left her home and married Isaac.
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Joseph served faithfully and stayed pure in the midst of suffering and injustice.
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The Israelite midwives in Egypt continued to do their jobs though pharaoh forbid it.
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Jehosheba took care of her nephew in hiddenness for 6 years.
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David did the job his family needed him to do (caring for the sheep), was a servant to the “CEO” of Israel for a season, went to war, and waited on God’s timing to be king.
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Anna the prophetess used her single years of widowhood to seek the Lord in prayer.
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Mary submitted to God’s plan to have a child in her youth and risked being misjudged.
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In a world that tells us chasing the extraordinary is paramount, let’s not forget all the ordinary ways God has used his people to change the course of history. You might not be able to see the effects now, but choosing to go to work, clean your house, study for class, serve in your family’s business, raise your children, cook for your elderly neighbor, and seek God in prayer may be the most world-changing thing you do. All things, when done in obedience to Christ and for his glory, are eternally impactful.
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Don’t believe the hype! Your ordinary obedience matters. Do it for Christ and trust that he will use all you do in faith to change the world.
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📸: @charityclaytonphotography

Sometimes, giving into our fears is a rejection of God.
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I’ve been meditating on this for a few days since reading Numbers 14. The Israelites have just spied out the land God is giving them. All the spies, except Joshua and Caleb, say “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” (Num 13:31)
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The people of the land might have been stronger than the Israelites. But that shouldn’t have mattered because they were not alone. God was with them! But the Israelites were acting like practical atheists, assessing the situation without accounting for God. And so they were afraid and said, “Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Num 14:3)
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What is so interesting to me is how the Bible describes their fear of the land God had promised. These are some of the phrases used in Num. 14 to describe their fearful response: rebellion, faithlessness, and disobedience. God says it this way: they have despised me, not believed in me, put me to the test, grumbled against me, and rejected the land I gave.
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When faced with something frightening, God often tells his children, “Do not fear, for I am with you.” It is the reality of his presence and his goodness toward all who have trusted in Christ that enables us to refuse to fear what the world around us fears. It is our faith that keeps us from fear. As Hebrews 13:6 says, “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”
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As I consider the things I am afraid of, I don’t want to make the same mistakes the Israelites made. I don’t want reject God by giving in to my fear. I don’t want to forget that the God of the universe is real and, because of Christ, on my side.
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I’m not sure what you’re afraid of today, but if you have put your faith in Jesus, then remember that God is for you, so who can be against you? Don’t give into fear, instead lean into faith. Work hard to remember God and trust in Him each time that anxiety or fear pops up. Choose God in faith, don’t reject him in fear. Let’s glorify him today by refusing to fear what he says not to fear.

One year and three months ago, I was discouraged and defeated and convinced of my inability to write this book. If you can’t read my horrible writing, it says:
“I am so discouraged. How will I ever write a book? How will I ever be able to do what you’ve set before me? I cannot even get 50 words on a page. Are you going to help me? Is there hope for me? Can I do this?”
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What I learned over this past year is that I really was unable. I didn’t have the wisdom or clarity to navigate this complex topic. But God did! I couldn’t see my way, but He lead me hour by hour. This year has been full of my weakness and God’s sufficient strength.
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For whatever you’re facing today that seems insurmountable, don’t believe the world’s message that you can do it if you just work hard enough. There are things God calls us to that require something more than our natural abilities can provide. Some tasks He leads us to are only done by His strength and power so that at the end of the day all glory goes to God. You might not be able to do it. But God surely can!
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As I look at these advance copies of #Friendish, I know with all my heart it’s God’s strength that brought it to completion! May He get all the glory for all the fruit it bears.
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Ok... sorry for the overload of book posts! Just overcome by God’s faithfulness this week! 😊