Author Archives: Nicole Byrum

I can’t tell you how many times in the last few months the topic of perfectionism has come up in conversations with both my clients and friends.  At least a dozen times I’ve thought, I need to write about this.  So here it goes, my feeble attempt to touch on this difficult topic and toContinue reading “Chasing Perfection”

“The problem with dogs is they do dog things.”  This is a comical (and true!) saying from the father of one of my best friends.  As a runner I’m not an overly huge fan of dogs and this statement perfectly sums up my thoughts regarding that species!  Happily, on my morning run yesterday there wereContinue reading “That We Should Suffer”

Today as my daughter neared the end of her 45 minute morning run she reported to me that she was, “hungry, thirsty, and sweaty.”  Pedaling alongside her I answered back, “That’s a good way to be at the end of a run.”  I found myself envious of her at that moment and thought to myself,Continue reading “The Goodness of the Hard”

“Did God really say?”  Oh, those four dreadful words; the catalyst for the fall of man and the demise of our society today.  After all, isn’t that how all deception begins- with the questioning of the word of God?  It seems our rebellious hearts just can’t accept that God meant what He said.  We haveContinue reading “Unpopular: Male and Female He Created Them”

Oh the nature of mankind.  Hasn’t that been the debate for the past several millennia? Countless scholars, philosophers, and theologians have written on this subject and yet confusion still exists on this matter, even among Christians.   I understand the appeal of wanting to believe we are innately good, and that humankind is by and largeContinue reading “Unpopular: Every Good and Perfect Gift”

For those of you following this series, this post piggy-backs off my previous post and echoes in part the theme of an article I wrote earlier this year on the topic of humanism (you can find that article at simplydevoted.net).  For those who are just joining, I wrote last week that the mission of followingContinue reading “Unpopular: Made New, Not Better”

I want to start this blog series by saying that I take no delight in conflict.  Truly, I hate it when anyone is upset with me for any reason and I generally want to be well liked.     However, I do like to make people think.  For those of you who read my blogContinue reading “Unpopular: Our True Mission”

How can it be that you see me and know me?  That thought is too wild for my mind to contain and too precious for my heart to hold.   Yet the truth remains.   You number the hairs on my head and you know my innermost thoughts.  You know my name.  There has never been aContinue reading “How Can it Be? True Identity Revealed”

This past December I had the opportunity to hike some beautiful trails in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  The scenery was gorgeous and I relished the views that differ so greatly from my homeland of Northwest Ohio.  As my eyes rested on the rolling hills and waterfalls, my heart was filled with gratitude and IContinue reading “The Hope of all Things New”

“Simon, Simon behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail,”  (Luke 22:31-32).  This verse has been on my heart all day today.  Consequently, it was this verse that led me to do something I have never done before-Continue reading “But I Have Prayed for You…”