Talia Biel is a member at Crossroads Church. She is a sincere Jesus follower with a gift for connecting her faith to real life, and for sharing that through her writing. Check out her blog “Holding On To Faith.
Please note: I have parental permission to use this child’s name and photo for this particular post*
A child can bring so much warmth and laughter to your soul if you let them. It all started when little miss Ava started my room at only 7 months old. On her first day, she looked away from her mother and entered the environment of which she would spend most of her days at. Carefully crawling to the toy shelf, the book centre, and to the Elmo riding toy (which is her favourite toy). Ava wanted to explore each and every area of the room. She occasionally looked back at her mother for a reassuring smile, and continued to explore. Continue reading ‘Butterfly fly away’ »
As followers, I know that we are called to love. It was one of Jesus’s top commandments that He really emphasized in hopes that we would first learn it, process it, and live it out. This is a blog on the why I do what I do, and because of Who that there is even a why.
Hardships often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary destinies.” – C.S. Lewis When I was growing up, I always had to explain to other kids why I didn’t look like my parents. Why I had dark brown eyes, and olive skin instead of blue eyes and lighter skin like my brothers. While some kids would poke fun (because they didn’t understand) and said things like I probably got picked out of a garbage can somewhere in a dark corner. I would walk around with my head held high saying, “I’m the chosen one, I’m the chosen one”. 
This week marks one year since I have started working at my job at Big Hearts Childcare Centre. It has been a privilege to walk through the various twists and turns that this year has brought. I have hiked up to some of the tallest peaks in life with my co-workers and been at the lowest in the valley with them through difficult times taking one day at time. We have found ourselves all but lost in the densest forests, not sure which way to go next, all of the elements seemingly against us. We have had the opportunity to walk alongside others, seeing incredible breakthroughs, friendships, and leaps of faith take shape even during what appeared to be impossible. How great is Your faithfulness. 
I grew up in love with the country way of life . It started off with listening to famous country artists such as Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Reba Mcentire and so on. When I first started high school, I was the one that owned every Taylor Swift CD there was. Most of my friends came from big cities, and never understood the small country girl that I was. How I would pick four wheeling over parties, how I would go fishing in the pond instead of dating boys, and how I spent most of time sitting outside covered in mud and dirt. Something about the air, the scenery and the trucks. From Dodge to Fords, to Chevy. I loved the country. 
Jesus followers, we are called to be different. To live in such a radical way that others are asking the question, why? Why does she do that? Throughout my deeper reflections this week, I have felt the Spirit urging me to live out this calling, to go from my ordinary self to living an extraordinary life. So that when I speak, for when I love, for when I care, others can see that there is something different about the way I live my life. To seek real opportunities in order to be the salt and light of Christ through my everyday actions where others one day might ask the question, “Why does she do that?”