Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha..Continue reading→
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Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie..Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch NowContinue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu..Continue reading→
Hot Topics
I’m Glad Paul Used This Word
When we’re perplexed, we think, “How did this happen?” or “Why is this happening?” and we have no answer. Things don’t seem to line up with our expectations. I thought if I did this, God would do this. If I sowed, I’d reap. Well, you will reap, but before the harvest comes you might have to fight off a few crows. Before you see the sunshine, you might have to walk through a dark valley. The perplexing valley. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair…2..Continue reading→
When You Are Tempted to Despair
So when we get sick, I am tempted to despair. I feel helpless, weak, and useless. Questions swirl around my mind all day and night, “Should I switch doctors?” “What’s the long-term effect of this medication?” “When will we get better?” “How long can I go without sleep?” I find myself irritable and impatient. Stressed and anxious. Reactionary. All my thoughts and energies are focused on what’s happening, it becomes consuming. I just want God to intervene, fix it all, and return things back to nor..Continue reading→
The Relative Value of Temporal Things (Wilberforce)
“This disposition alone must constitute a vast difference between the habitual temper of the real Christian and that of the mass of nominal Christians. The concerns of the present world dominate them almost entirely. They know indeed that they are mortal, but they do not feel it. For the truth finds its way only into their minds but cannot gain admission to their hearts. This understanding of the mind is altogether different from that strong practical impression of the infinite importance of ete..Continue reading→
Children Are People Too
Our children are born with inherent worth and individual traits. We should remember that in raising them. It’s amazing to watch our children grow up and become the men and women God has planned for them to be. Each one is unique and has unique challenges and unique gifts. They may not fit our “mold,” but they were made to fit the place God designed them for. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Eph. 6:4 ESV In the last ..Continue reading→
Movies
Prophet Joseph — episodes twenty-three and twenty-four
Synopsis. Apopis is about to be executed. An officer tells the crowd that Apopis will die a slow death — hung from a pole with a wound in his feet so that he bleeds to death and the birds devour what’s left — and that he will be deprived of the afterlife because his body will never be mummified. Apopis replies by declaring his belief in God and his hatred for the Egyptian gods. Malek, who has been in Egypt ever since he sold Joseph to Potiphar a dozen years ago, is in the crowd, watching. Back i..Continue reading→
Watch: A swarm attacks in Star Trek Beyond, and rebel spies battle the Empire in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Today we have clips from two — not one, but two! — upcoming sci-fi franchise films. First, we have the moment in Star Trek Beyond (opening next week) when Captain Kirk realizes that the Enterprise is about to be attacked for the last time ever: And second, we have some behind-the-scenes footage from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (opening December 16) that was unveiled at a convention in London today: Note how the Star Wars franchise seems to be getting its own Rocket Raccoon: Incidentally, it ..Continue reading→
Watch: Meet Rey — er, Jaylah — in a new Star Trek Beyond featurette; plus the first “reviews” are in on Twitter
She’s tough. She fights with a staff. And she’s good at fixing spaceships. If it weren’t for all the striped alien makeup on her, you might confuse her for Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rey. But instead, her name is Jaylah, and she is one of the main new characters introduced in Star Trek Beyond, which opens next Thursday. Paramount has released a new featurette dedicated to her, and it features soundbites from actress Sofia Boutella, director Justin Lin, actor/co-writer Simon Pegg and producer ..Continue reading→
Chiwetel Ejiofor to play the apostle Peter in Mary Magdalene
With Rooney Mara playing Mary Magdalene and Joaquin Phoenix playing Jesus, there has been some concern that Garth Davis’s Mary Magdalene movie might give us yet another “whitewashed” version of the New Testament. But this latest bit of news could put that to rest: Deadline reports that Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was Oscar-nominated for his starring role in 12 Years a Slave, is in talks to play the apostle Peter. Ejiofor would not be the first actor of African descent to play Peter; just last year, th..Continue reading→
Watch: Scotty meets Jaylah in a clip from Star Trek Beyond, plus a few new TV spots and London premiere footage
Star Trek Beyond has now had two premieres — one in Australia and one in the UK — and there still aren’t any reviews online. We do, however, have a new clip, in which Scotty meets the brand new character Jaylah (played by Kingsman: The Secret Service’s Sofia Boutella) after escaping the destruction of the Enterprise. Here is the clip: Paramount has also posted this video from the London premiere: And we have three new TV spots as well: Check out earlier trailers and other videos here: The fir..Continue reading→
Watch: For King & Country’s music video for Ben-Hur
If you watched last Sunday’s Ben-Hur simulcast, you’ve already seen the music video for ‘Ceasefire’, the song that was used in the most recent trailer for that film. Today that video, which features the Christian pop band For King & Country as well as some new footage from the film, went public via the Entertainment Weekly website. Here is the video: There’s an interesting, and tricky, balancing act going on here. First, as Mark Burnett said during the simulcast, which was hosted by Rick Warren..Continue reading→
Is this the biggest year for animated movies ever?
Here’s a fun trivia bit: animated movies have been #1 at the box office for the past four weeks (three weeks for Finding Dory and one week for The Secret Life of Pets), and the last time animation ruled the box office for such a long stretch was three years ago, when Monsters University and Despicable Me 2 were #1 for two weeks each. Box-office observers are now wondering whether The Secret Life of Pets — coming off the biggest opening of any animated non-sequel ever — can beat the Ghostbusters ..Continue reading→
Interview: Christy Beam (Miracles from Heaven, 2016)
There have been a few films lately based on the stories of people who say they caught a glimpse of Heaven during a near-death experience. Miracles from Heaven — which comes out on DVD today — adds an interesting wrinkle to the genre: in this case, a girl who has been suffering from a rare digestive order for years falls into a hollow tree and has her vision there, and once she is rescued, it turns out she is healed. The story is told partly from the point of view of the girl’s mother, Christy Be..Continue reading→
Win a copy of Miracles from Heaven on Blu-Ray!
Another month, another Blu-Ray giveaway! Last month I marked the debut of my new Facebook page by giving away a copy of Risen, and this month I’m giving away a copy of Miracles from Heaven on Blu-Ray (and Digital), courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The disc includes an audio commentary by director Patricia Riggen and screenwriter Randy Brown, featurettes on the making of the film as well as the real-life family that inspired it, and some powerful deleted scenes. Click here for detail..Continue reading→
Music
Seventh Day Slumber Reveals Cover For Upcoming Album ‘Found’
Seventh Day Slumber debuted the cover and title for their upcoming album Found this week. RELATED Third Annual City Rockfest Lineup Announced On Facebook, lead singer Joseph Rojas described the album as "a cross between Shattered Life and Picking Up The Pieces with some Take Everything Mixed in." He also confirmed that the album will feature the same blend of worship and rock that the band is known for, and that fans can expect to hear some of the new music soon. Set to release in April of 2..Continue reading→
Third Annual City Rockfest Lineup Announced
The official lineup has been announced for Seventh Day Slumber's annual City Rockfest tour, with the full list of artists including Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Project 86, Decyfer Down, Spoken, Random Hero and Scarlet White. Some of those bands will rotate out over the course of the tour, with the lineup for the first leg featuring Disciple, Project 86, Seventh Day Slumber, Random Hero and Scarlet White, and the second leg featuring Disciple, Seventh Day Slumber, Decyfer Down, Spoken and..Continue reading→
EXCLUSIVE Watch the Lyric Video for Jamie Grace’s New Song!
A week after announcing to fans new music is coming, chart-topping artist Jamie Grace has released her first new single in three years, titled "Party Like A Princess," as well as the lyric video that goes with it. The new song is now available for preorder on iTunes (click here), and officially releases Friday, Nov. 25. Known for her bold stance on relationships--and waiting on God to bring the right guy into a girl's life--the song is a fun, upbeat summary of her views on relationships..Continue reading→
Ray of Light by Sommer Floyd
A joyful amalgamation of sparkling Pop/Rock, New Country and Contemporary worship, Sommer's inaugural release will draw instant comparisons to artists like Kari Jobe, Mia Fieldes, Laura Story and The Band Perry's Kimberly Perry. Fan favorites include the celebratory "Children of God," the fun and encouraging Pop-Country anthem, "Drop and Run," and the gently meandering confessional ballad, "I Need You." Sommer allows her natural effervescence to shine through on the exuberant "Ray of Light," and reveals her vulnerable heart in the lovely and poignant "Stronger," a song she wrote for a friend battling leukemia. Her peace-evoking Contemporary Worship hymn, "How You[...]Continue reading→
Purple Dinosaur (single) by nobigdyl.
The first commercial single released by nobigdyl. focused on the idea of love.[...]Continue reading→
Danny Gokey Releases New Song, Announces New Album
Today Danny Gokey released a new song,"If You Ain't In It," from his upcoming album. He also announced the new album's title, Rise, with a release date of January 13th. RELATED Danny Gokey Releases Series of Christmas Videos "I'm so excited to officially announce my new album 'Rise' will be coming out January 13th," Danny shared this morning on social media. When you pre-order Rise you'll get the title track and "If You Ain't In It" as instant download. Dann..Continue reading→
Jordan Feliz Releases Music Video For ‘Best Of Me’
This week Jordan Feliz released his new music video for "Best Of Me." "So excited to share the new music video for Best Of Me with you all!! Hope you have as much fun watching the video as it was to shoot," the Dove Awards New Artist of the Year shared via Facebook. RELATED Jordan Feliz Garners Second No. 1 Single With 'Never Too Far Gone' The music video comes on the close of an exciting fall for Feliz, who won one of his incredible three nominations at last month's Dove Awards..Continue reading→
The Brilliance To Unveil Hope-Filled ‘All Is Not Lost’ January 27
In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that even still All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to..Continue reading→
American
Doubting Your Doubts (Jonathan Storment)
Doubting Your Doubts So last week I wrote a post responding to the New York Times article from December where the columnist Nicholas Kristof interviewed Pastor Tim Keller about Christianity. The article was great, and I appreciated both Keller’s answers and Kristof’s questions. I wrote last week, that one of the things that I appreciated the most, was Keller’s pastoral yet counter-cultural way of answering Kristof’s question of “Am I a Christian?” Kristof is an admirer of Jesus and appreciates m..
Pro-Life Groups Urge Senate Committee to Confirm Pro-Life Rep. Tom Price as HHS Secretary
A Senate committee will vote tomorrow on the nomination of pro-life Congressman Tom Price to be Secretary of the health and human services department. Price is one of President Donald Trump’s marquee pro-life nominees to head a cabinet department that will have significant overview concerning pro-life policies. Leading up to tomorrow’s vote, pro-life organizations such as the Family Research Council are urging senators to vote Yes on Price’s nomination. FRC president Tony Perkins sent the foll..
Miracle Twins Who Survive Birth at 23 Weeks Prompt Call to Ban Late-Term Abortions
Claire and James Weir are proud parents of the youngest twins to be born in Great Britain, according to The Sun. At approximately one pound in weight, Imogen and Annabelle Weir were born at 23 weeks and 4 days. “They are the youngest and smallest surviving twins to be born in Scotland,” Claire Weir told The Sun. “I’d never heard of twins so small surviving. It didn’t seem possible for one, let alone two.” Their story makes the call to ban late-term abortions even more pressing. The legal cut o..
Majority of Americans Agree With President Trump’s Decision to Stop International Abortion Funding
This past Monday, pro-life President Donald Trump made it abundantly clear the United States will no longer use taxpayer dollars to support organizations that promote the killing of unborn children in developing nations. I congratulate White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer for explaining to reporters the underpinnings of that change: that funneling tax dollars overseas to organizations that perform or promote abortions “is contrary to the values of this president.” The president’s action ill..
Entertainment
Measuring Success: One Woman’s Counter-Cultural Path
As an independent filmmaker, I have the privilege of telling stories that you don’t often see coming out of the mainstream media or Hollywood studios. I relish the opportunity to work on projects that take risks—that shine a light on gems beneath unturned stones. And yet, even I didn’t expect to find such a treasure as the woman I’ve spent the last few years uncovering. Perhaps the greatest unknown hero I’ve encountered, she has taught me about success in ways that couldn’..
Searching for Jesus: A Q&A with Risen’s Joseph Fiennes
Rome, Italy – February 3, 2016: Joseph Fiennes attends RISEN photocall overlooking Vatican City. “If I was to take anything away personally from making this film, it’s the concept of redemption and forgiveness and second chances. The second chance for Clavius resonates with me, and I think it might for a lot of people.” — Joseph Fiennes, who plays Roman Military Tribune Clavius in the new movie, Risen What would it be like to be the Roman military official assigned to find the body of Jesus afte..
Risen: Not Just Another Bible Movie
A scene from the new movie, Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes. There are films that are entertaining. There are films that are soul-stirring. And there are films that are faithful to the source material (when the source material is the Bible, this third category becomes an important one for many believers). It is rare to experience a film that checks one or two of these boxes, let alone all three. Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes and opening in theaters February 19, is a film that definitively inhabi..
Coach Lad: The Real Story of the Coach Portrayed in ‘When The Game Stands Tall’
In his 33 years at De La Salle High School in California, Bob “Coach Lad” Ladouceur became one of the most successful high school coaches in the nation. His 399-25-3 record ranks the most victories in California history, including 29 North Coast Section championships, 17 California State championships and the longest winning streak in the history of high school sports. Five different times, both USA Today and Fox Sports Net voted De La Salle the No. 1 team in the nation; the Spartans finished in..
US
Small Oklahoma town thwarts OPEC
Cushing, Oklahoma, is a town of about 7,000 close to where we live. What makes it notable is that several oil pipelines cross there. Which has led to the construction of massive oil storage facilities where production companies can park their oil until it’s needed. The big OPEC producers, led by Saudi Arabia, have made a deal with non-OPEC producers, such as Russia, to cut back production in an attempt to drive up prices. But because Cushing has built up such a big supply, prices are staying low..
Ceremonial Deism
The Supreme Court ruled in 1984 that Nativity scenes in publicly-owned spaces are legal. As long as they don’t mean anything. Hillsdale Sophomore Nic Rowan writing in the Federalist sees this as an example of “ceremonial deism.” After the jump, read his argument and my thoughts on the matter. From Nic Rowan, Supreme Court: You Can Only Have Public Nativity Scenes If They Don’t Mean Anything, The Federalist: A nativity scene placed in the public square is not a religious symbol. It’s an instance..
Our attention span drops to below that of a goldfish
Americans have a very high literacy rate. The problem is, though people can read, many of them don’t read. At least not anything longer than a tweet or a blog post. One-quarter of Americans haven’t read a single book all year. That can be said of one-third of American men. One problem, reports Eric Metaxas, is that our attention span keeps dropping. In the year 2000, our average attention span was an already unimpressive 12 seconds. Now it’s 8 seconds. One journalist observed that this is less t..
Gift idea: Christianity Today’s 2017 book awards
Christianity Today has announced its 2017 book awards. The list of winners in all of the different categories might give you some good ideas for Christmas presents. I like book editor Matt Reynolds’ introduction to the list. He surveys how, thanks to the new printing press, Luther’s Reformation in 1517 was tied to the reading of books. Reading popularized the Reformation, and the Reformation popularized reading. From Matt Reynolds, Christianity Today’s 2017 Book Awards | Christianity Today: Mak..