One spring day, I sat in my backyard with my friend Suzy and our kids. While we relaxed in lawn chairs, sipping lemonade, a few of the children played on the swing set. The rest sat at our bright yellow children’s picnic table, purchased just days earlier. They were happily creating masterpieces on the pages…
3 Scriptures That Will Help Draw You Near to God
This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. — 1 John 5:14-15 Have you ever shared something deeply…
Your Greatest Skill: Love in Practice
Having been married for eighteen years, I may not be able to wholly define every aspect of love, but I can tell you with confidence there is one skill above every other that causes love to grow. All the other stuff — like picking up my dirty socks, going out on dates together, keeping romance…
Loving Those Who Hate
Dear Jesus, Sometimes it’s really hard to love people, particularly when You ask me to love those who hate You and do evil things. Please show me. How can I hate evil and still love the haters? Isn’t that what Paul did when he was in prison? In the worst of circumstances, he hated evil…
Jesus: The Lamb of God
A person is not held accountable for operating-table thoughts. The same rule goes for dental chairs and delivery rooms. On any occasion when people stick needles in your arm, fingers in your mouth, or scalpels into your skin, the patient is not penalized for bizarre imaginings. At least that is the justification I give to…
Finding Your Big “Why?”
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven. — Matthew 5:16 Video: Finding Your Big “Why?” Play the video teaching segment for session one. As you watch, record any thoughts or concepts that stand out to you in the outline…
All Things New: The Hope of Renewal
Picture a treasure chest. Not a small box that might hold jewelry on a girl’s nightstand — a large treasure chest, larger than any suitcase you own, larger than any suitcase you’ve ever seen. Picture a massive oak treasure chest, like pirates might have used, with large iron hinges and a huge clasp. The size…
Focus on Love This Christmas
Let all that you do be done in love. —1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV My friend from law school, Diana, pulled into the snow-covered drive. I put on boots and went out to greet her. “Merry Christmas,” I said, embracing her. “Thanks for inviting me to your family Christmas,” she said. “I thought I’d have to…
Endless Grace, Endless Love
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness . . . and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. — Colossians 2:6-7, Colossians 2:10 Come Monday morning I forget. A…
Living the Blessing
We get it that many people today are spiritually homeless when it comes to a church or doing much with their faith. But the Blessing is all about getting to know and love Jesus — whose love and blessing we’re going to be living out with others. He modeled loving people well — blessing them.…