Have you ever found yourself placing expectations on God? It sounds crazy to do, but we do it more often than we realize. On New Year's Day I found myself sitting in my study staring at my new, blank journal. I'm not crazy about New Year's, nor am I a fanatic of making resolutions. Honestly, … Continue reading A Call to Genuine Living
Since 1952, the day after Thanksgiving has been known as the day that kicks off holiday shopping with the biggest discounts of the year. We know this day as Black Friday. Little do people know, but there is a Black Friday that existed long before this shopping holiday came into existence: the Friday that Jesus … Continue reading The True Black Friday
This year, "being thankful" doesn't quite look the same for me as it has in the past. I'm dealing with a different type of brokenness that I've never experienced before. My Thanksgiving plans have been tossed high into the air in light of my current physical plight. As I write this, rather than being home … Continue reading A New Take on Gratitude
Let's make a conscious effort to make Thanksgiving meaningful again. Here are some simple steps we can take to make that happen.
The holidays are usually a pretty stressful time for most people. Back in 2013, 3.08 trillion dollars was spent in the U.S. on holiday retail purchases. There's quite a fair bit of shopping that needs to get done in 2-3 months, since most stores don't begin offering holiday promotions until Oct. 1st. Between shopping, get-togethers, … Continue reading Keeping God First During the Holidays
This Veteran’s Day, I challenge you join me in taking 5 days this week to pray for our veterans.
As Christians, we (along with everyone else) begin to align ourselves with political parties. As this happens, we need to stop and consider who and what Jesus would align himself with. This doesn't mean that we make assumptions or vote for someone simply because they are claiming Christianity. We must turn to the Bible and investigate what God is interested in. Even a short glance into the gospels reveals that in Jesus' way, God's closeness has absolutely nothing to do with political power, and everything to do with alleviating suffering and addressing the concerns of the downtrodden.
I know people who struggle with the idea of God because of how much pain and suffering there is all around us. I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I've been asked "How do you believe in God when He isn't healing you and He allows you to suffer?" For quite a … Continue reading When the Giver of Life Meets the Dealer of Death
God has been sending me a very simple message lately: busyness is not something to be proud of. But busyness is all I've known. I've spent my entire life being busy with one thing or another. At first it was school, which I invested my all into growing up. I was that student who managed … Continue reading Busyness. It’s Not Always Something to Boast About.
