Jess Connell

Recently a friend shared about a stressful relationship– someone was texting her repeatedly, and she felt terror that she might misstep and make the relationship worse. My friend isn’t perfect, of course, so she was wanting to be wise and cautious in how she responded. Eventually, she was in tears, asking for input and prayer…

The early part of this summer was a hurricane in our lives. I won’t recount all the details, but we were poised to buy a family business. Instead, the carpet was yanked out from beneath our feet. Had we been on our own, we would’ve gone scrambling, but God placed solid paver stones under our…

Surely we all feel it! Lockdowns & increasing rules Division, even among groups that normally agree Spiritual leaders exposed as fraudulent and abusive Global economy in crisis Uyghur concentration camps (and no one acting for their justice!) Medical/health battles Increasing isolation Depression, mental health, suicides increasing Rampant domestic violence, divorce, and child abuse Geopolitical strife…

In Part 1, we talked about: the unreliability of basing our identity on seasons, or characteristics about us the way we are all geared toward identity idolatry (feeling that what we do/choose is the same as who we are) and the way God – in kindness – seeks to shake us loose of that. And…

In Part 1 we discussed- the unreliability of basing our identity on seasons, or characteristics about us the way we are all geared toward identity idolatry (feeling that what we do/choose is the same as who we are) and the way God – in kindness – seeks to shake us loose of that. Ultimately, there…

On Twitter, (in April 2016) New York City Pastor Tim Keller was asked: “What are the false gods of our society?” Part of his reply was– “the myth that you can choose your own identity.”  He is absolutely right. Sister, this is the one of the great lies of our age: “you get to pick…

One thing that amazes me, the longer I live as a Christ-follower, is the unpredictable way of humans as they interact with Jesus.  Some who appear to start out burning bright for Jesus– fall away and disassociate themselves from Him and His people. Some who seem weak and needy persevere and the light of their light grows…

Recently I was able to get away for a glorious (and gloriously quiet!!) week alone. [If you don’t know, I have 9 children, ages 19 down to 2 years old, and I’ve been a stay-home, homeschooling mom for the duration of those years.] For most of my life, getting away like this has been an impossibility,…

When you experience pain inflicted upon you by those claiming the name of Christ, especially by those in leadership in a Christian community, ministry organization, or church, it can turn everything topsy-turvy. What is true? What is right? Did that really happen? Am I losing my mind? Who can I trust? Can I ever trust…

First: If you are suffering under spiritual abuse, or have recently left a spiritually abusive situation, I want to encourage you– not minimize or question what you experienced. For the purposes of this article, spiritual abuse is defined (by Got Questions) as: To “abuse” is to use something or someone to bad effect or for…