How Much Can You Put Up With? Listen, I know it’s hard to embrace someone else’s cultural values. Whether it’s their noise level, the smell and look of their food, their communal gatherings, or the way they look at you, talk, dress, or act, another person’s way of life often feels like a disruption.…
Prayer Is Essential
Editor’s note: According to our sister site BibleGateway.com, there was a significant increase in searches in 2020 about what the Bible says about politics. Two of the key topics people searched for: praying for government, and obeying government authority. Two of the most popular verses: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession…
Walkaway Jesus
Since Jesus came from Heaven to walk among us, Christians tend to think that walking away from anyone, or letting anyone walk away from the truth, is a failure on our part. But Jesus walked away or let others walk away… a lot. I reread the gospels and counted every occurrence where Jesus deliberately parted…
Show Jesus to Your Community
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering… And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. — Hebrews 10:23-24 ESV The early Christian church was founded as a way for believers to come together to encourage one another, discuss the teachings of Jesus, and…
The Fog of the Broken Heart
The fog of the broken heart. It’s a dark fog that slyly imprisons the soul and refuses easy escape. It’s a silent mist that eclipses the sun and beckons the darkness. It’s a heavy cloud that honors no hour and respects no person. Depression, discouragement, disappointment, doubt… all are companions of this dreaded presence.…
A Highway of Holiness
A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on…
When Others Hold Our Hope
I admit, there was a time when I couldn’t take the hope for myself. When Jake and I separated in 2010, I was a wreck. The first five years of marriage were hard. I felt torn apart, unable to catch my breath before the next wave (crisis, miscommunication, disappointment, hurt) pummeled me again. In…
Praying to Know the Power of Prayer
During the first couple of years I walked with the Lord, my prayers went something like this: “God, help me get that job.” “Jesus, please heal my throat.” “Lord, send enough money to pay these bills.” “Father, take away my fear.” It took me a while to realize that those spur-of-the-moment prayers were not…
Remembering Billy Graham
Billy Graham 1918–2018 I am convinced the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God’s love for them in Christ. ~ Billy Graham It was September 14, 2001 — three days after the September 11 attacks robbed nearly three thousand people of their lives. A service of…
Step Outside the Boat
Making God laugh with your plans isn’t something you have to avoid at all costs. While your mind is busy producing, creating, and planning, don’t allow the idea that your plan may not pan out the exact way you have in mind keep you from producing at all. If you’ve come to a place…