Guest (Page 11)
Pursue Others like Jesus Pursues You
“But imagine this. You believe that Jesus pursues you. You are letting go of old lies that suggest he doesn’t care and that you are forgotten. Because of Jesus, you no longer look for the easiest person to talk to when people gather. Instead, you move toward the quieter ones, the new person, and the outliers. Imagine a group of people who move toward each other—active more than passive, loving more than fearing rejection. They look glorious; they attract the…
Reframing Retirement
“By all means let’s retire from employment, slow down, and take time to enjoy the life that God gives. But let’s keep fulfilling our garden identity by working in God’s world and serving according to our capacity and circumstances. That enduring work of ours is a thank offering for Christ’s work for us and in expectation of the eternal rest to come when he returns. There is a time to recognise that we will lay down our labours and surrender to rest…
Help! I’ve Fallen Behind On My Bible Readings!
“It is surprisingly difficult to turn a good intention into a life-long discipline. That isn’t to say it can’t be done. But it will be hard, there will be setbacks, and it will take both backbone and resilience. Now is probably a good time to remind you of that. If you are like many Christian people, you made a commitment this year to read through your Bible. Good for you! That commitment is worth celebrating! Wanting to do a good…
Death will come when Christ calls
“Death was a foreigner until I watched my dad wither away. As cancer shaved his frame to the bone, and the space between breaths gained greater distance, my worst enemy seemed to dance and destroy all at the very same time. I wanted death gone, but instead, my dad was the one to leave. I was so shattered by his passing that I refused to watch the gurney roll out of the house. The reaper may well have taken my…
Dear Local Church
Dear local church, you are a blessing. You are not perfect, but the One who is perfect works in and through you. You are a good gift from the Giver of all. You are a light in the darkness and a stream of water to my weary heart. Dear local church, I see you, and in you I see Him. Dear local church, you are a blessing. Read more…
Ten Questions for a New Year
Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It’s so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we’re going and where we should be going. The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. A great time for us to “Consider our ways.” To that end, here are some questions to ask…
He’s Still Enough
“All around the world, people seem to spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s in a sense of reflection. It makes sense that as another year closes and is slid onto the shelves of memory that we take one last moment to flip back through it’s pages and remember with bittersweet fondness the stories that ended and the ones that have just begun. That is just what I have sat down to do. If one thing rings out true…
How to make a New Years Resolution that Sticks
“We have all heard the statistics: 50% of people make some kind of new year’s resolution, but 88% of those resolutions ultimately fail. That is more than a little discouraging. But I still believe in new year’s resolutions. I believe in them as a convenient opportunity to evaluate life and to make choices about living life better. I have done a fair bit of reading on how to make resolutions work, and it turns out that though there are many…
Bible Reading Plans for 2020
Many Christians take the beginning of a new year to evaluate their Bible reading habits and then change or begin a Bible reading plan. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of Bible reading plans for you to choose from. Maybe in 2020 you will read more of the Bible each day. Perhaps you’ll slow down your reading and instead spend more time considering what…
Why we go to Church on Vacation
“Today I found myself sitting down to make a list of all of the things that I’ll need to pack for our family of five for our upcoming vacation. We try to escape for a few days every summer, a chance for my pastor husband to get away, at least physically, from the demands of being everyone’s go-to guy when things get tough. I don’t think that it’s really possible for either of us to leave our dear church behind…