Praying Psalm 27 in Suffering

Every so often a church experiences a wave of suffering among its members. The prayer requests hurt even and leave us stammering in prayer. Such has been the case recently in the church I attend. An undiagnosed, debilitating blood disease, a brain bleed, an eating disorder, and the unforeseen death of a loved one have … Continue reading Praying Psalm 27 in Suffering →

When Darkness Overwhelms

Were you ever afraid of the dark? I was, though as a child I would have denied it. I slept with my door open so that I could see the light from the kitchen. And when we’d visit my grandparents’ house, I'd vociferously object to sleeping in complete darkness, much to my sister’s chagrin. Now … Continue reading When Darkness Overwhelms →

I Know I Should Read More Books. But How?

Were you a Book-It kid? I was. I fondly remember taking my completed sticker chart into the dimly lit Pizza Hut and waiting for what seemed like forever on an uncomfortable wooden bench looking at Golden books as my very own personal-size pizza baked in the oven. I’m not sure whether I loved pizza or … Continue reading I Know I Should Read More Books. But How? →

Learning to Cling

After forty sweltering years in the wilderness, Moses is about to die, and the people of Israel stand ready to enter the long-awaited Promised Land without him. Since a new generation has grown up in the wilderness after Sinai, Moses reiterates the Law in his farewell address, the book we know as Deuteronomy (literally, “second … Continue reading Learning to Cling →

Without the Gospel…

Paul loved the churches he addresses in his epistle to the Galatians. Unlike his other letters, written to one specific church or person, Galatians’ audience was the churches of a given area—the area Paul and Barnabas covered on their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14). A lot of blood, sweat, and tears were shed on that … Continue reading Without the Gospel… →

The Lie of Easy Obey-ism

Did you attend Bible camp as a kid? I did, and it was probably my favorite place in the whole world. I loved the games, the cabin competitions, and the friends I’d see up there once a year. I even loved the food. (There was one very long, very steep hike that I didn’t care … Continue reading The Lie of Easy Obey-ism →

Enough Really Is Enough

The most important day in the history of Israel had finally arrived. It had been 480 years since God had parted the Red Sea and freed His chosen people from slavery. And now, nearly five centuries later, Yahweh had a temple. Of course, King Solomon built this wonder of the ancient world, replete with splendor … Continue reading Enough Really Is Enough →

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 →

Teach Us to Number Our Days

The question was simple: “How old are you?” With gusto, my then two-year-old responded, “Five!” That same person asked my son’s buddy (who’s just a month older) the same question. The answer again came loud and proud: “Sixteen!” While these two little guys have a ways to go in their grasp of numbers and age, … Continue reading Teach Us to Number Our Days →

Prayers to Kill the Green-Eyed Monster

We can thank one man for a number of common words. Hostile, auspicious, dwindle, and watchdog were all first written down by the Bard of Stratford, William Shakespeare. He coined a number of phrases still in use five centuries later as well. If you’ve told your teenager that he’s going to “eat you out of … Continue reading Prayers to Kill the Green-Eyed Monster →