Posts by: Nicole Presley

Another Face in the Crowd

My journey (and post) takes root in Mark 6:1-6, where Jesus returns home and his reputation precedes him. People wonder who he thinks he is, where he’s getting these ideas; they were utterly baffled by him. “Isn’t this the kid we watched grow up around here?” they ask. With this, Jesus replies, “A prophet is… Read more »

The Plateau

During this past season, growth has seemed far-off in the distance for me. It’s like when the hero in an action movie sees that tiny glimmer of light at the mouth of a dark cave, but there are a million and one obstacles before he gets there. You know what I’m talking about, too. It’s… Read more »

A Solitary Place

For those of you who know me, anything near the ocean is my favorite place to be. When I am there, I sit and realize how small I am. There’s a peace about the water that consumes me. The ocean waves crash and nothing else makes noise, and in an odd way, each crashing wave… Read more »

The Furious Pursuit

I struggle to find words to answer the question “Who is Jesus?” because my finite vocabulary and comprehension would not do it justice. Jesus is all the words I do not have words for. As I continue to work on my relationship with Jesus, I have realized He is the only thing that can satisfy…. Read more »

Is the Cross Enough?

For the majority of my life, I’ve never felt deserving of grace. I allowed myself to be marked by decisions, works, and capabilities—all done by my own strength, timing, and power. If I got into the best university, got the perfect job, married the right man, had the right life, then I’d be deserving of… Read more »

Prayer In The Driver’s Seat

Morning devotional.  check Read my Bible.  check Pray.  check Serve.  check Most of my life, I’ve treated prayer as a way of earning what I want from God. I do and say the right Christian things hoping to receive the things I so desperately want and think are best for my life. Don’t get me… Read more »

I Thought I Knew What Was Best

“Am I really where God wants me?” seems to be a reoccurring question in my mind and conversations lately. I don’t know if it’s because I’m twenty-three and we’re all in the same stage of finishing college and heading into our careers, but over the past couple months, I have had multiple conversations with people… Read more »

God With Us

Every Christmas season, I hear these words over and over in songs and sermons: “Emmanuel, God with us.”  Sometimes I think of “God with us” selfishly, placing myself in the center of the universe, expecting God to show up when and where I need him, based on what I hope is real about God’s role… Read more »

Love, The Universal Language

As most of you know, there was a team of us from Awakening who went to Peru on a missions trip this past March. We were so blessed to have our missionary contacts in the states this past week, so we decided a reunion was in order. We brought our team back together and shared… Read more »

Being a Faithful Steward

I was listening to the radio, which doesn’t happen too often, and the host was talking about parking in New York City. She continued to share about one parking spot that was worth and sold for $1,000,000. Excuse me, what? That much money for ONE parking spot? I understand that it could be stressful trying… Read more »

Power in the Gospel

“I was being convinced all over again the the power of the gospel is just as necessary and relevant after you become a Christian as it is before.” – Tullian Tchividjian Growing up, I heard Jesus died for me to save me from my sins just so I could spend all of eternity with him… Read more »

Undeserved

(I’m speaking out of conviction today, so I’m sorry if this post is a little harsher than usual.) I decided to reread Crazy Love by Francis Chan. For those who haven’t yet read this book, it’s convicting. Francis Chan speaks a great deal of truth in this book; truth I wasn’t ready to hear. “The… Read more »