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→
Home
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→
World
Bible Left Untouched And Unmoved After Powerful Tornado Rips Through Christian University In Mississippi
Powerful tornadoes ripped through southern Mississippi late last month, bringing death and destruction to many places.Continue reading→
In France, People Who Speak Against Abortion Will Now Be Treated As Criminals
People who try to discourage women from having abortions are now virtually considered criminals in France.Continue reading→
Christian Astrophysicist Sees Little Chance Of Alien Life In New Earth-Size Planets Discovered By NASA
Seven new Earths? As in seven new habitable worlds?Continue reading→
Christian Family Of ISIS Suicide Bomber Believe He Was ‘Brainwashed’
British citizen Jamal al-Harith stunned his Christian family when he blew himself up in a suicide bombing mission carried out in behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS) earlier this month against Iraqi forces near Mosul.Continue reading→
American
Maryland Pro-Life Advocates Stop Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide
Maryland pro-lifers are rejoicing that the latest attempt to pass a Physician-Assisted Suicide law (PAS) has failed, the third time such proposed legislation has been rejected in as many years. The victory came despite early rumors from PAS supporters and the media that PAS would pass this year in Maryland. State Sen. Guy Guzzone,(D-Howard County), the Senate’s lead sponsor, withdrew the legislation and canceled scheduled hearings. In the House, state Delegate Shane Pendergrass (D-Howard Count..
He Did Over 1,200 Abortions But Quit, Here’s His Tip for Encouraging Others to be Pro-Life Too
Dr Anthony Levatino is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist who performed abortions for eight years before he stopped in 1985. He went on to become a powerful pro-life witness to the truth about abortion and will be speaking at our youth conference in March about his journey from abortionist to pro-life campaigner. I had the chance to chat with Dr Levatino over the phone about his early days as a doctor who performed abortions. I started performing abortions in 1977 but never counted the number. I..
Media Bashes Ivanka Trump’s Jewish Faith; Is Fine With Catholic Nancy Pelosi Promoting Abortion
First Daughter Ivanka Trump and her family are quite possibly the highest-profile Modern Orthodox Jews in American history. Ivanka, who converted in 2009, has spoken about how her family observes the Sabbath, keeps kosher, and celebrates various Jewish holidays together. And now, for some reason, the media has taken it upon itself to become the “kosher police.” Take, for instance, this gem from the Washingtonian, where the writer took the mind-boggling step of phoning a chef to inquire about wh..
Made to Order Humans? Scientists Clam to Have Created “Artificial” Embryos
Using two types of stem cells (the body’s ‘master cells’) and a 3D scaffold on which they can grow, scientists at the University of Cambridge “have managed to create a structure resembling a mouse embryo in culture,” according to the University of Cambridge. The study, published in the journal Science, showed how Cambridge researchers “were able to grow a structure capable of assembling itself and whose development and architecture very closely resembled the natural embryo.” But even the headl..
Australia
Bring these dear children comfort and joy
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS Friday 4 November 2016 Children in the Holy Lands and surrounding nations live under a cloud of violence, and they need Jesus’ radical message of hope to bring comfort to their lives. Almost half of the population of the region is aged under 24, and millions of children are unable to attend school because of growing tension. Many children have seen tragedy, horror and bloodshed, often in their immediate family. In a world scarred by fear, hatred, grief and violence, Bible So..
Focus still on the Bible for BSA’s 200th anniversary
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | John Sandeman Thursday 24 November 2016 “After 200 years, we’re here for good” is the Bible Society Australia’s campaign focus for 2017, to mark the bicentenary of the Christian organisation’s work in Australia. At a special launch event this week in Sydney for the 200th anniversary, Bible Society CEO Greg Clarke described BSA as “a mature-aged organisation with the energy of a teenager”. “We are Australia’s longest living organisation – one month older than the oldest ba..
Nurturing the Good Samaritans in South Sudan
BIBLE SOCIETY NEWS | United Bible Societies | Mary Frank Tuesday 18 October 2016 The Good Samaritan program is inspirational! I love its Bible-based material which encourages children to know God, have a good attitude and be a Good Samaritan to other vulnerable children who are victims of war and HIV. The program is relevant for everyone, not only children, because it gives hope and encourages someone who is infected, traumatised and marginalised by providing spiritual support. My parents di..
Australians Rally Ahead Of Same-Sex Marriage Referendum
A gay rights activist holds a placard during a rally supporting same-sex marriage, in Sydney, Australia, on May 31, 2015.Reuters Hundreds of supporters of same-sex marriage campaigners rallied in Australia's two largest cities on Saturday against a plan to hold a public vote on the issue, concerned it would cause an increase in anti-gay comments. Australia's centre-right coalition government introduced legislation to parliament last month to hold a public vote in February 2017 on whe..
Law & Government
Alabama Governor Interviews Suspended Chief Justice Roy Moore for U.S. Senate Seat
MooreMONTGOMERY, Ala. — The office of Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has confirmed that Bentley interviewed suspended state Chief Justice Roy Moore for a potential congressional seat this week. The seat would replace U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions, who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to serve in his cabinet as attorney general. “He would consider it an honor if appointed to the office of U. S. Senate,” Moore’s wife, Kayla Moore, told the Montgomery Advertiser. Bentley spokesperson Yasam..
Oklahoma Supreme Court Strikes Down Admitting Privileges Law as ‘Undue Burden’ on Abortion Access
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down a state law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital, stating that the requirement places an “undue burden” on mothers’ access to abortion. “Under the guise of the protection of women’s health, [the law] creates an undue burden on a woman’s access to abortion, violating protected rights under our federal Constitution,” wrote Justice Joseph Watt wrote on behalf of the court. “Every woman in this coun..
Senate Judiciary Committee Asks FBI, Dept. of Justice to Investigate Planned Parenthood, Business Partners
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct an investigation into the abortion giant Planned Parenthood and several of its business partners for possible criminal prosecution. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa issued a letter and report on Tuesday to both Attorney General Loretta Lynch and FBI Director James Comey, outlining the findings of the Committee that point to unlawful sales of baby body parts between both Planned..
Trump’s Pick for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, ‘Key Leader’ in Ending Boy Scout Ban on Open Homosexuals
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had selected ExxonMobil’s Rex Tillerson to serve as secretary of state, a move that some Christians have found to be concerning as Tillerson was considered a “key leader” in ending the ban on open homosexuals in the Boy Scouts and runs a company whose employee gift matching program includes donations to Planned Parenthood. “I have chosen one of the truly great business leaders of the world, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of..
Entertainment
Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ is his most Catholic film
(Andrew Garfield, left, plays Fr. Rodrigues, and Shinya Tsukamoto plays Mokichi in the film “Silence” by Paramount) Shûsaku Endô (1923-1996) was a Japanese Catholic novelist whose extensive writings probed the conflicts and paradoxes of faith. He was born in Tokyo, lived in Manchuria, then returned to Japan and was baptized at about the age of 11. After university, he married, had a son and lived in France. The novelist Graham Greene, with whom Endo has often been compared, said he was “one of ..
The Best Scene in Manchester By the Sea is Funny, Painful and Spiritual
Comment countGrief challenges us in a way nothing else can. When we love and lose someone, it’s as if someone flicked off the lights. We can’t move. We can barely breathe. You’d think that faith would be a hard sell in times of grief. And yet, in those times of agony, faith often rescues us. We lean on that God, even if He feels distant. Our loved ones haven’t left us; they’ve gone home. But faith wraps itself in such strange, silly garb sometimes; a gift beyond measure wrapped in supermarket fl..
Nat Geo’s Emmy-Nominated ‘The Story of God with Morgan Freeman’ Returns for Second Season
Prophets, spiritual enlightenment and the afterlife — they are mysteries as old as time. National Geographic and Revelations Entertainment seek clarity on some of humanity’s biggest questions in season two of the Emmy-nominated hit series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, premiering on Monday, Jan. 16, at 9/8c. _SOG20116DD920P (1)As host of the network’s most-watched series of all time, Freeman will again take viewers around the world on a quest for interfaith understanding and connectivity..
Stories that Stir the Soul: Talking adoption, foster care and faith with the author of Bridge to Terabithia and The Great Gilly Hopkins
Comment countThe following is a guest post from Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, who recently talked with one of my favorite authors, Katherine Paterson, about some issues pretty close to my own heart. I love what she has to say here. It’s well worth the read. *** Embed from Getty Images“No book made a greater impression on me before high school,” a 40-something magazine editor recently shared with me. My 10-year old daughter said much the same, “Oh, I just loved i..
Health and Science
And God Said “Let There Be Light” (RJS)
Genesis 1 is a marvelous passage – highly stylized literature if not technically poetry. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening,..
Chinese Scientists Look to Cure Lung Cancer With Genetic Engineering
There is a new tool in the biotechnology tool belt that may revolutionize the way medicine treats a host of diseases. It is called CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR uses a bacterial enzyme to precisely edit DNA, and scientists all over the world are using it to transform cells in hopes that one day these genetically-altered cells may cure disease. Scientists in China are hoping CRISPR will successfully treat lung cancer, and they are launching a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in 10 patients who have exhaus..
A Grand Canyon (RJS)
For many years a book, Grand Canyon a Different View was sold at the gift stores in the National Park. This book tells the story of the Grand Canyon from a Young Earth Creationist viewpoint of flood geology. I don’t know if it is still being sold at the National Park or not, but it is available on Amazon. According to the description on Amazon the book invites readers to “explore the majesty and beauty of one of God s greatest creations” and “see the canyon from a ..
Harvard Professor Who Touted ‘Gospel of Jesus’ Wife’ Now Believes Papyrus Is Likely Fake
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A Harvard professor who made headlines in 2012 when she unveiled a papyrus scrap that she touted as potential evidence that Jesus was married, now believes that the inscription on the papyrus is likely fake. “If you ask me today which direction am I leaning more toward—ancient text or a modern forgery—based on this new evidence, I’m leaning toward modern forgery,” Karen King told the Associated Press this week. King was referring to allegations that Walter Fritz, the Florida..
US
Trump’s immigration edicts
President Trump has issued executive orders that provide for the building of a wall on the U.S./Mexico border; will cut off federal aid from “sanctuary cities”; and that will beef up border control enforcement. He has also prepared an executive order that will temporarily halt the admittance of immigrants from countries with a history of terrorism (specifically, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia). The current refugee program is being frozen until “extreme vetting” procedures can..
The problem with crowds
In a column in which he explains why he didn’t go to the Inauguration, Jonah Goldberg says that it wasn’t because he is a conservative never-Trumper. He says that also doesn’t like to go to sporting events or arena concerts. He just doesn’t like crowds. But from there he raises some bigger points: Crowds can become mobs. The unit of American politics is the individual, not the crowd. The experience of being in a crowd is losing one’s individuality in a bigger corporate unity. And then he quotes ..
Fake News
Both sides of our political divide are accusing the other of spreading “fake news.” Rev. Tim Pauls, writing for LCMS News & Information, says that of course making up facts and believing whatever we want to is going to be a problem in a culture that rejects objective truth. He gives some striking examples and some insightful analysis from a Christian perspective. He then gives some Biblical texts that address this issue and suggests how Christians can handle it. From Tim Pauls, Fake News – LCMS ..
China pushing Communism to replace failing Democracy
China says Western democracy has reached its limits and has started to deteriorate (alluding to Donald Trump’s victory without saying so). Global Communism will take its place, with China supplying new universal values. When I have referred to “still-Communist China,” some readers have said, in effect, are you kidding? China has become capitalist, what with all of their entrepreneurs and wealth-building. But orthodox Marxism teaches that societies must go through a capitalist phase in order for ..
Church & Theology
4 Reasons You Can’t Find Rest
One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 6:16—“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls….” I’ve heard many messages from this text that emphasize everything under the sun except “rest for your souls.” But that is the promise of the verse. Picture the prophet Jeremiah pleading with a rebellious nation to seek out the old paths of righteousness, put away their idolatry, and walk in t..
5 Traits Common to Leaders Who Continue
The challenges to Christian ministry continue to mount. Between a cultural shift toward intolerance of truth, the decision fatigue of pastors, the opinion overload of society, and a host of other challenges, it’s no wonder that so many pastors and spiritual leaders are falling out of the ministry. Although I’m aware of and experience these types of challenges, I want to finish my race still serving the Lord. And I don’t want to stagger across the finish line—depleted and embittered toward the p..
4 Ways to Develop an “Everywhere Mentality” for Sharing the Gospel
I believe the Great Commission is worthy of—and even calls for—purposed times and strategic plans for spreading the gospel. Thus, we have several times and locations each week available to members of our church to meet up with a partner for the purpose of saturating our community with the gospel. And yet, there is a danger in using only those times for sharing the gospel. In reality, we are surrounded by people who need the Lord—some of which are our family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. ..
5 Ways to Help Your Children Walk in the Truth
One of the easy traps for parents to fall into is having shortsighted goals for their children. If I can just make it through today… (particularly in the preschool years) My child’s greatest problem is to change _______ behavior. If he can just make a higher grade… If she could just have more friends… While it is good to make it through another day(!) and behavior, grades, and friends do matter, 3 John 4 gives one of the greatest goals any Christian parent can hold: “I have no greater joy than ..
Finance
Budgeting Bliss: 5 Steps on How To Get There, and When To Send the Old Budget Packing
Admit it. You can’t afford not to budget. There are plenty of people out there who–despite their six-figure income–still find themselves in a vicious paycheck to paycheck cycle. The only way out? Budget. A good budget fits snuggly, but isn’t suffocating. It gives direction but isn’t overbearing. A real budget is constructive, not constrictive. My guess is, you’ve been in a bad-budget relationship most of your adult life. That good-for-nothing budget promised you extra money in your account and an end to your problems. Instead, you found nothing but store-brand beans, frustration, and a building sense of failure. You probably left the budget, then came back. Left, came back. Apologized. Left. Came back. Left. It isn’t you Budget, it’s me. I just can’t do this. It’s too hard. Budgeting shouldn’t be dramatic. Healthy money management isn’t painful. When set up right, a budget is empowering. Let me assuage your fears (and let me use the word “assuage”) by helping you avoid some common budg..