When you can’t sleep, don’t count sheep — read Scripture. Distinguish between God’s voice and the voice of fear. Worry takes a look at catastrophes and groans, “It’s all coming unraveled.” God says, Every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. — Romans 8:28 MSG Worry claims, “The world…
How Beauty Blooms: Going Through
I wonder if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thought they’d end up in the furnace. Surely they didn’t think it unimaginable that King Nebuchadnezzar would toss them in the flames, but I wonder if they thought it would really come to that. In their speech to King Nebuchadnezzar, they claimed that God would deliver them…
How Long Can You Keep This Up?
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. — C. S. LEWIS, THE PROBLEM OF PAIN I grew up believing my father was a sandy blond golfer-turned-insurance-broker from Omaha, Nebraska. As a black-haired, olive-skinned kid from Orange County, I never connected with that narrative. Surfing was…
Replace Bad Habits with Good Habits
A tree’s fruitfulness depends on its root-fullness. I love this thought. The quality of a tree’s fruit depends on the nourishment of the root. What do you want the fruit of your life to be? Great family relationships, good health, financial abundance, strong faith, and a legacy that ripples through eternity in all of…
Secret to an Awesome Marriage: Choose to Connect
Secret Number 3: from 7 Secrets of an Awesome Marriage Connect – The Art of Listening and Being Present Putting God first in your marriage creates an environment for success. That is where God wants to be, and that is how He designed it to work. Then God makes it clear that the marriage relationship…
Why Your Prayers Need to Be Dangerous
Hey, Craig, do you believe God still does miracles?” “Of course,” I said. “Good — because your prayers are so lame.” I tried to laugh with him, but my friend’s joke stung — mostly because he was right. We had just left a prayer service together, back when I started working in ministry. My buddy…
Rescue from the Madness
There’s a madness to our moment, and we need to name it for the lunacy it is. Because it’s taking our lives hostage. First, there’s the blistering pace of life. I texted friends an announcement that was really important to me; they replied with little thumbs-up emojis. I think to myself, That’s it—you can’t even…
The Prayer that Saved the Constitution
June 28, 1787 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. — Psalm 127:1 After the British surrender, the American Colonies had a nation but needed a constitution. The old Articles of Confederation were inadequate. In May 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia for a convention to draft a constitution that…
Tom Landry: Living the Christian Faith
Tom Landry was one of the greatest Christian gentlemen I ever knew. — Dr. Billy Graham Editor’s Note: Tom Landry was the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL, a position he held for 29 seasons. He lead the Cowboys to 20 consecutive winning seasons and 2 Super Bowl victories. Despite…
The Reason God Hasn’t Fixed You Yet
I saw a story on 60 Minutes a few months ago about the happiest country in the world. It was Denmark. A study done by a British university ranked the happiest countries, and America was far down the list, but Denmark was on top. Morley Safer explored why. Ruling out financial status, physical health,…