jess leigh hanna

What’s the Point of Christianity?

Have you ever hit the brick wall where your faith and your feelings collide? You feel deeply about one thing, and you desperately want it, but your belief system warns…

I Thought I Invited Jesus Into My Heart (But I Was Wrong)

When I was very little, I asked Jesus into my heart. I always believed he was trustworthy, and I knew he could keep me out of hell, which seemed important.…

These Hands Were Made for Holding

10 May 202310 May 2023

Our hands were made for holding babiesAnd guiding toddlers as they walkOur hands were made for playing catchTime spent in game and talkOur hands were made for showing love"I want…

Hidden Among the Baggage

Last night as I was lying in bed, waiting to go to sleep, I prayed that God would help me with a task I’ve been unable to do: declutter. I…

Maybe We’re Still Messy, Meatless, Milk-Drinkers

Growing up in church circles, one of my least favorite messages was how Christians needed “milk not meat.” Depending on who was sermonizing, the word “meat” might have been declared…

Digital Natives and the Church That Meets Online

25 Apr 202325 Apr 2023

Our culture is very obsessed with dividing all the current generations by their ages and labels. "Boomers here""Gen X there""Millennials that way""Gen Z–stop–just sit down, Gen Z" (No hate towards…

White Lies Still Leave Stains

22 Apr 202322 Apr 2023

I lied to someone yesterday. I was running late to an event, and subtly slipped in a comment about how "this place always takes longer to get here than I…

My Father is Hate-Free, Hurt-Free, and Holy (and He Even Likes Me)

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with "Our Father in heaven..." This would have been a stark contrast to the Jewish “shema” prayer repeated every morning and…

That Time I Got Mad at God and Went for a Long Walk

30 Mar 202330 Mar 2023

I grew up in churchI grew up memorizing Bible versesI grew up knowing what sin wasAnd I spent most of my life not knowing who Jesus was I knew what…

“God, Why Do Bad Things Happen?”

24 Mar 202324 Mar 2023

A few nights ago, I was asking God a question I’ve been coming back to frequently: "If You love us, why do You allow bad things to happen?" Each time…