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Learn Humility from Children

Have you learned anything from children—either yours or someone else’s? If you’ve had any interaction with kids, the answer is probably yes. I’ve learned a lot in my three short years of parenting, including the names of construction vehicles (I can now distinguish between a backhoe and an excavator!), the make and model of every … Continue reading Learn Humility from Children

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How to Help an Unbelieving Friend in the Valley of Suffering

It wasn’t a normal after-practice conversation. It had nothing to do with jerseys, jump shots, or defense. My player had something else entirely in mind. Slowly a few details came out: her friend’s family (of unbelievers) had very suddenly and unexpectedly entered a very deep valley. To them it probably felt more like falling off … Continue reading How to Help an Unbelieving Friend in the Valley of Suffering

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Don’t Settle for Change That’s Only Skin-Deep

Did you make any goals for 2023? Statistically, the answer to that question is probably no. According to statista.com, less than 25% of Americans made resolutions in 2022.1And even if you did make a goal for 2023, statistics (and experience) tell us about 9 out of 10 people will fail anyway2. No wonder so many … Continue reading Don’t Settle for Change That’s Only Skin-Deep

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How Am I Supposed to Pray When I Don’t Feel Grateful?

Feelings of ingratitude are bound to trap us at some point during this holiday season. An unpleasant memory, another snow storm, the stress of holiday shopping, the pressure of preparing the perfect holiday meal, tensions between family members, bickering between siblings, an undercooked or overcooked turkey, pies eaten by a mischievous puppy, or any other … Continue reading How Am I Supposed to Pray When I Don’t Feel Grateful?

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To the One Thinking of Quitting Church

Dear Friend, I wish that we could have this conversation over a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I firmly believe that all the best counseling sessions involve caffeine. But, alas, the written word will have to do. So, you’re thinking about quitting church. On one hand, I understand that. I assume that you have been … Continue reading To the One Thinking of Quitting Church

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Watching Out for Unmarked Paths

“Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”1 As Screwtape, the veteran tempter, counsels his young apprentice and nephew Wormwood, Christians are most easily led astray when they don’t notice it happening—when they walk blissfully along a smooth path with no warning … Continue reading Watching Out for Unmarked Paths

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Favorite Books of 2022 at the Halfway Point

I love to read, and I love to share what I’ve read with others. So it makes sense to periodically post an update of the best things I’ve read lately.  Below you'll find four Christian living-type books and one novel. I’m not on the cutting edge of brand-new releases, and I know that. You likely … Continue reading Favorite Books of 2022 at the Halfway Point

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The True and Faithful Witness

Nothing makes a jury’s job easier than eyewitness testimony that corroborates circumstantial evidence. An overwhelming majority of the time, an eye witness will sway the jury to their side of a given case. However, while many eyewitness testimonies rightfully identify the guilty party, other times the “star witness” turns out to be mistaken. The human … Continue reading The True and Faithful Witness

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Worse Than Trading Away Babe Ruth…

Have you ever heard of the musical No, No, Nanette? Probably not. How about Babe Ruth? Even non-baseball fans recognize that name. Surely any team would do whatever they could to keep arguably the greatest player in the history of baseball on their team, even if it meant trading away everyone else. Apparently, the Boston … Continue reading Worse Than Trading Away Babe Ruth…

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Self-Controlled to the Glory of God

Read through Paul’s letter to Titus, and you’ll notice that one word pops up several times (1:8, 2:2, 2:5, 2:6). The English word varies with translations: discreet (KJV, NKJV), sensible (NASB), or self-controlled (ESV, CSB, NIV). Usually when a word in Scripture has several English renderings, the word in the original language has a breadth … Continue reading Self-Controlled to the Glory of God

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Be a Soul Strengthener

You probably remember the craze from the mid-90s. Chicken Soup for the Soul books were suddenly everywhere, showing up on shelves in bookstores, grocery stores, gas stations, and libraries. These collections of feel-good stories quickly gained popularity and began to target specific audiences with titles like Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul, Chicken Soup for … Continue reading Be a Soul Strengthener

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You Might Be a Stingy Forgiver If…

The name Ebenezer Scrooge has become synonymous with the concept of stinginess. The protagonist in the Dickens novella A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge, though a wealthy man, refuses to share his wealth or to enjoy it. He scoffs at the notion of donating to charity and rations his coal so that his employee Bob Cratchit … Continue reading You Might Be a Stingy Forgiver If…

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Court Is Adjourned

Though I enjoy legal fiction in all its forms—books, movies, television—I have only set foot in an actual courtroom on one occasion: jury duty. Not surprisingly, the courtroom bore little resemblance to the Hollywood depictions. I sat in the gallery, observing the voir dire proceedings with waning interest, wondering if pregnancy would be an acceptable … Continue reading Court Is Adjourned

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Our Trouble with Tribalism

Tribalism1—(n): 1) a tribal consciousness or loyalty, especially: exaltation of the tribe above other groups. 2) strong in-group loyalty This word, which rocketed to popularity in the 1960s, is currently experiencing another renaissance. Likely the factionalizing of our society has caused this resurgence. We form groups with people who think, act, and believe like we … Continue reading Our Trouble with Tribalism

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The Good Life in 2022 (Part 2)

A quick Twitter search of #blessed will yield literally hundreds, if not thousands, of results. Scrolling through these will give you an idea of how popular culture thinks of being blessed. In the brief time I looked at these Tweets, I found shout-outs for homemade beef barley soup, Christian country music, a life that is … Continue reading The Good Life in 2022 (Part 2)

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Favorite Books of 2021 (Part II)

Every six months I like to share my top reads in both Christian-living/theology and fiction. Hopefully one of these will strike your fancy. If you’ve got any recommendations for me, I’d love to hear them. I’m always on the prowl for my next great read! Flourish by Lydia Brownback—Brownback tackles a universal problem in her … Continue reading Favorite Books of 2021 (Part II)

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What Does Your Life Teach?

Mentoring has become a popular subject, both within and outside of the church. We love characters like Yoda, Obi-wan Kenobi, Albus Dumbledore, Gandalf, and Mr. Miyagi who shape their protegés into heroes. In real life, young up-and-comers rightly look for a seasoned veteran to teach them the tricks of their trade and traps to avoid … Continue reading What Does Your Life Teach?

A Better Way: Responding to the Darkness

On any given day, reading the headlines will make you wonder if the darkness has finally won. Whether news of wars, earthquakes, military coups, sexual scandals, gun violence, financial malfeasance, another outbreak of that illness, a godless agenda continuing to gain traction among the masses, or any other of myriad news stories that make our … Continue reading A Better Way: Responding to the Darkness

On Being a Humble Burden-Bearer

What burdens are you bearing on behalf of your brothers and sisters in Christ? Health problems, difficult marriages, infertility, children with special needs, aging parents, financial difficulties—the list is endless of burdens that we may be shouldering alongside our fellow believers. But are you carrying that load with the humility the task requires? As Paul … Continue reading On Being a Humble Burden-Bearer

Faith That Works, Love That Labors, and Hope That Endures

Knickknacks, bric-a-brac, gewgaw—whatever name you want to give it, it all serves the same purpose: nothing. Well, except for dust-collecting, I suppose. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh. If you’re a collector of knickknacks, I apologize. I’m sure they’re lovely. But you must admit, they don’t do anything but sit there looking pretty, taking up … Continue reading Faith That Works, Love That Labors, and Hope That Endures

Four Reasons Scripture Memory Might Just Be My Favorite Spiritual Discipline

I know you probably think that I’m bananas for claiming to like memorizing Scripture. And yes, I am more than a little bit nerdy. I admit that. But hiding God’s Words in my heart isn’t about having an outlet for my nerdy tendencies. Like exercise, Scripture memory is always work. And most of the time … Continue reading Four Reasons Scripture Memory Might Just Be My Favorite Spiritual Discipline

God’s Mercy Means There Are No Hopeless Cases

Do you feel hopeless today? The Respect for Marriage Act. Mid-term election results. Orwellian rhetoric from politicians. Animated movies openly advocating for what God calls abominable. Everywhere we turn, our culture is headed in the wrong direction. Perhaps you’re still praying for our nation, praying for revival, but maybe it feels hopeless. I must admit … Continue reading God’s Mercy Means There Are No Hopeless Cases