All The More: Collective Blog - Author Natalie Mayo

When Home Isn’t Home Anymore

May 19, 2017 Natalie Mayo 5 min read

You may know that feeling when you’ve been traveling on a long journey and you open the door to your home and…ahhhhh….there’s that feeling of relief, rest, and contentment. You suddenly remember that there really is no place like home. There’s also a coming-of-age phenomenon many people discover after they go off to college or move out on their own and then they’re back at their childhood “home” in their “hometown,” and yet can’t wait to go back to their new city or home. Home isn’t home anymore.

We’re a Messy Church

February 24, 2017 Natalie Mayo 5 min read

When I first started reading the Bible, I was very confused about some of the great people of faith doing questionable things. Why were these people (I thought) I was supposed to look up to morally committing such terrible sins? Was the Bible condoning these atrocious things they did? Why were people offering up their daughters to be raped? Why did Noah get drunk and lay naked after the ark? Why did Solomon take so many wives and concubines? The Hall of Faith, as Hebrews 11 is often referred to, lists murderers, adulterers, and liars, yet these people were commended for their faith. I had first assumed these Bible stories were supposed to be about all good, upright, moral people and how we should emulate them. But I was wrong. The Bible isn’t a book about good people, but about a good God who chooses to use messy people.

Does being zealous for God mean I have to always be excited?

November 10, 2016 Natalie Mayo 4 min read

Now that it’s November, it’s finally culturally appropriate to get excited about Christmas!! In honor of that, let me kick off this blog with a reference from the classic Christmas movie Elf. When Buddy the Elf is in the department store and they announce that Santa is coming, Buddy SCREAMS and jumps up and down with hysterical excitement! (For your enjoyment, here’s the scene).

Like A Virgin

August 26, 2016 Natalie Mayo 3 min read

Okay, I just have to say upfront that the Bible uses some intense language and is pretty scandalous! It’s not necessarily the G-rated Bible you may have learned about in Sunday School. It’s full of stories of scandal: drunkenness, murder, sex, hunger for power, betrayal. On top of that, the Old Testament over and over again asserts that God’s people have acted like the “whore,” “prostitute” or “harlot”. Yes, the Bible actually uses those words! Just FYI, those are really strong – and accurate – words. They are scandalous words to describe a scandalous people.

Joy > Jealousy

July 4, 2016 Natalie Mayo 4 min read

They say, “comparison is the thief of joy.” I’ve been hearing this quote all over the place recently and it’s no wonder why – God is trying to teach me something… isn’t it funny how he does that?

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