Editor’s Note: Matthew 3:2 says, “The Kingdom of God has come near”, meaning it’s closer than we think, but we must choose to see it. Some of the best representations of the Kingdom are when differing cultures, nations, skin colors, occupations, walks of life, etc. come together in the most unlikely of circumstances. Our God…
And Lo, the Kingdom of God is Like a Terrible Football Team
My son is like me. He’s not much into athletics. But we signed him up for a flag-football league when he was in sixth grade. My wife told me the league needed someone to coach my son’s team, the Rams, and I told her, point-blank, I would not be doing it. I know nothing about…
The Joy Model: Radically Trusting God
Buzz. Buzz. Michelle’s cell phone vibrated twice on her night stand. It was a text coming in at 12:40 a.m. I was zonked out and the sound barely registered with me. “Jeff, Jeff, wake up. Look.” It was a text from my seventeen-year-old son’s ex-girlfriend: “Please check on Neal. He sent me this photo.” It…
The Difficult Stuff Is the Beginning of Joy
While I may have read in my Bible that we are in a spiritual war, that truth had not fully adjusted my expectations of this life. To accept that life is supposed to be hard is the beginning of joy. There is freedom in understanding that Heaven is coming and we are not there yet. We’re called to live, instead, aware…
Palau: Proclaiming the Gospel
There is a harvest waiting around the world for those willing to obey and gather it. I have seen it in every country, on every continent. I’ll never forget being in Hong Kong in 1997 (the second time we went there), as the people of that beautiful island pre- pared for an uncertain future under…
A New Understanding of God’s Love
Your salvation depends on what [Christ] has done for you, not on what you can do for Him. It isn’t your hold on God that saves you; it’s His hold on you. ~ Billy Graham WELCOME “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…” From our earliest years, many of us…
Unwavering: A Reason to Celebrate
INTRODUCTION Group leader reads aloud these opening words from Stasi: I love to celebrate. I love birthday parties and baby showers, holidays and homecomings. But I especially love Christmas. Except when I don’t. At the beginning of too many holiday seasons, I can become overwhelmed by what is “required” of me. That is, I did,…
Cultivating Joy
When I was young, I thought that following God and being a Christian would lead to a life that was kind of easy, filled only with happiness and free from pain and sorrow. Silly me. I’m not even sure where I got that idea, except maybe from teachings spouted by TV evangelists who espoused a…
Becoming a Prayer Warrior Mom Starts With Thankfulness
Cultivating a heart of gratitude is central to your role as a Prayer Warrior Mom. As you become more thankful and effective in prayer, God will transform your family life and your marriage from the inside out. You’ll be amazed by the difference in your kids’ hearts, attitudes, and actions as you learn to “stand…
You’re Invited to the Unwavering: Living with Defiant Joy Online Bible Study
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. — Psalm 30:5 Joy is rooted in God and His Kingdom, in the surety of His goodness, His love for us. It is immovable. Unshakable. ~ Stasi Eldredge Friend, you are invited! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that we are…