These past months have flipped many things in our life upside down. Much has changed in the way we go about our daily lives— everything from work to school, from shopping to doctor’s visits, and from gathering with friends to gathering for worship. In all these...
What do you fear? We all know what it is to fear something. We live in a fallen world where fearful events and circumstances are plenty. Incurable diseases. Crime. Loss. War. We know that feeling in the pit of our stomach when we hear bad news of some kind. We know...
Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 is a verse many believers know...
I remember when my oldest son first started asking questions about life and the world around him. It was amazing to watch him think through what he learned and make sense of it all. “Mommy, why are germs bad?” “Mommy, how does the car radio work?” “Mommy, will there...
Have you ever heard the phrase, “preach the gospel to yourself?” It’s an oft-repeated phrase that some might qualify as a type of “Christianeze.” You know, those Christian sayings and phrases we hear so often in the church. Yet even many over-used sayings contain...
There are growing pains in our home. I have a preteen and a teen and each day I witness my children stretch and grow and mature into young men. The growing process isn’t easy, as youth hover somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It’s often an awkward season....
Ephesians 1:15-16, “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” What does it mean to you when a fellow brother or sister in Christ...
Grief is a strange thing. Months, even years after a loss, it can show up unexpectedly. About eight months after my grandfather passed away, I was traveling on the highway and passed the exit I would take to get to his house. I suddenly started crying and couldn’t...
For many years, I lived in South Florida where a beautiful sunny day can change in a moment, as ferocious storm clouds roll in from what seems like nowhere. And though it happened every summer afternoon, I often found myself caught off guard and unprepared. I never...
If you had one word to describe the church today, what would it be? A quick scroll through social media and the word “divisive” might spring to mind. The world might use the word “insignificant” or “shrinking” or even “hypocritical.” Perhaps as you consider your own...
The Bible has a lot to say about human suffering. Most believers can reference or quote a few passages that speak to the pains and sorrows we face in life. We all know the story of Job. Most of us have probably memorized Romans 8:28. We might have a list of go-to...
If you have been in the church any length of time, you know how prone we are to hurt one another. We take sides against each other. We spread gossip. We envy and compare ourselves to one another. We harbor bitterness and fail to forgive each other. And in all of it,...
What are the hallmarks of a good friendship? What characteristics do you look for in a friend? Often, the entryway into friendship is two people sharing a common interest. We enjoy being around others who like the same things we like, whether it’s a hobby, similar...
1 John 4:7-8, “7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” Has the gospel changed you? That’s a question the Apostle John wants his...
I once climbed an indoor rock wall, and when I got to the top, I turned to look down, and I froze. Panic took over, and I could not let go. I hung there, gripping the rope, terrified to release my hands, although I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. What I felt at...