Why I am Banning the Word "Mentor"

Christians are really good at creating and using language that is non-existent in the Bible.

We construct rules for ourselves, like “quiet time” and “devotionals.”  We use phrases that are out of touch and inexplicably alienate non-believers.

We are also really good at taking a concept in scripture and attaching so many restrictions, rules, and regulations to it that it becomes impossible to follow. Or we water it down so much that it no longer resembles the original design.

The term “mentor” is a perfect example, in my mind. I am not sure how this word has penetrated the Christian lexicon, especially since it has no Biblical basis.

But I have an even bigger problem with the word “mentor”… Continue reading Why I am Banning the Word "Mentor"

Favorite (Riley Saying) Things

I think my kids are two of the funniest people I know. I am constantly surprised by and snorting from their humor.

My daughter, the 4 year-old, has been amazingly funny lately. As this this third baby’s arrival gets closer and closer, I am beginning to appreciate my first two kids even more.

Every day on Twitter, I tweet a “Riley Quote of the Day.” I thought I’d share a list of some of her funniest moments with you. If you haven’t already, you can follow me on Twitter, too, and make sure you can read her hilarity each day. Let the smiling begin… Continue reading Favorite (Riley Saying) Things

An Interview with a Reject

One of my very first blogging friends, Moe from Beta Christian, asked to interview me for a series of Christian blogger interviews. Of course, I said, “Yes.”

He was looking to add some estrogen to the mix and I was game. The questions he asked me are, well, unconventional. What will you learn about me from this interview?  How about the fact that I would eat a parakeet if I had to. I hate ketchup. The thing that most frustrates me about the Church, but also the thing I love most…and a whole bunch of other stuff.

So please, go check out the interview. Leave a comment. Share some love. Ask more questions. Be a reject, too.

What's it Like Being Married to Me?

This post idea is stolen…ahem, I mean, borrowed from Bianca Juarez. Besides telling you what I think it must be like being married to me, my husband is also going to give his opinion. That’s right, my husband is going to reveal what it is really like to be married to Nicole Cottrell. We wrote our portions separately, so neither of us knew what the other had to say…until now. I’ll start.

I imagine being married to me must be…

Continue reading What's it Like Being Married to Me?

What's Age Got to Do with it?

I used to attend a church service catering to a younger crowd. It was energetic and always somewhat reminiscent of a college party. Everyone was cool, young, and hip. No one was over the age of 35, not even the pastor. Only a few people within the congregation were married and absolutely no one had children.

I enjoyed being there, yet I could never shake the feeling that church was not suppose to be comprised of only the young.

We had no one over the age of 35 attending service on purpose. We had no discipleship taking place. We had no one older and wiser to look to or lean on because, well, no one was older or wiser.

I eventually moved on, but the questions never left: Why have some churches begun catering to a younger generation? And more than that, should they? Continue reading What's Age Got to Do with it?

Your Testimony is Not as Lame as You Think

I met her at my old church. We were both about to graduate form high school and looking for some kind of direction. We met once a week, with one other girl and our female youth pastor.

We would share our praises or prayer requests every week. It seemed I was always sharing something “more sinful”, darker, more difficult. She always seemed fine. Her sins were nothing compared to mine.

Yet, one day we were asked to share our testimonies–tell each other how we met God and what He had done for us. She froze. She fumbled. She wouldn’t talk. Then, after a few moments of silence, she said something that totally shocked me…

Continue reading Your Testimony is Not as Lame as You Think

Favorite (Blog) Things

This was a record awesome week, (heck, so was the whole month of March) on Modern Reject, so thank you. I found myself extra busy this week, too, but I’ve decided to retire from blogging. That’s right, I’m packing my bags and moving on. I don’t want to leave you high and dry, so here are some additional blogs for you to read and love.

If you are looking for some Friday-I-don’t-feel-like-working-’cause-it’s-the-last-day-of-the-week-reading, or you’d like some leisurely weekend reading, here are my top picks from the week. There are some great blog posts, blogs I recently discovered, and more…My Favorite (Blog) Things for Friday…Oh, and April Fool’s. I’m not retiring, not yet anyway. Continue reading Favorite (Blog) Things

Confessions of a Modern Reject

I’m just warning you in advance, it’s about to get candid up in here (I really hate the expression “up in here” and yet it seemed apropos).

Needless to say, I have some confessions to get off my chest. I have some secrets to spill and some dirt to sweep out from under the bed. Like huge dust bunnies…with fangs.

You won’t be impressed. You won’t be inspired. You might actually reconsider revisiting this here blog, but a girl’s gotta confess what a girl’s gotta confess… Continue reading Confessions of a Modern Reject

Why Can't Chicks Be More Like Dudes?

I’m a chick and I’m married to a dude. And let me just say, chicks and dudes are different. Our brains process ideas differently. We handle stress differently. We think about sex differently. You name it, it’s different. I long to ask liberals who spout the idea that there is no difference between men and women if they have actually, in fact, ever met a man or a woman.

One thing you never hear is men walking around saying things like… Continue reading Why Can't Chicks Be More Like Dudes?

Why I Don't Like Talking About the Fact that I'm Black

Over the last few weeks, I have been feeling this pull, push, nudge to start writing about race–as in skin color. I have avoided this topic entirely on Modern Reject, except for one small mention here and there.

Since I’m no wallflower and I also don’t stray away from a bit of controversy, I haven’t been able to figure out why I absolutely don’t want to write about race.

My husband asked me point blank the other day: “Why don’t you want to write about being black?” My answer was surprising. Continue reading Why I Don't Like Talking About the Fact that I'm Black