I have been a parent for just over seven years now, and it is one of the most joyful and challenging endeavors I have ever attempted. My guess is that most parents would agree. From the early days of parenting that exhaust us physically to the latter days of parenting that exhaust us emotionally, the path of parenting is filled with all sorts of various trials and struggles and hardships. It is a ...  Read More

Learning From Physical Struggles  In the Bible the Lord often uses the physical to point us to the spiritual, from the physical requirements necessary to enter the temple in the Old Testament to Jesus’ miracles in the New Testament. Below are four lessons we can learn from times we experience physical struggles of various kinds:  1.       Sickness reminds us of our spiritual brokenness apart from ...  Read More

A “One Another” Life  The New Testament is full of “one another” commands intended to instruct followers of Christ how to live in rich biblical community with one another. Here are four great ones from Romans 12.Romans 12:4-6: “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” In hi...  Read More

Encouraging EldersHebrews 13:17 instructs us to “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” What does it look like to bring the elders joy in their role as an elder? Below are three practical ways seen in God’s Word:Pray for t...  Read More

The last half of John 3:22 contains a short phrase that speaks volumes about how Jesus often ministered while on earth. Following his one-on-one encounter with Nicodemus, John records this little bridge verse, “After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.” So, here we have a picture of Jesus coupling community and ministry—...  Read More

I recently read of an art gallery that has an exhibit for children, one in which they are given a blank piece of paper and placed in front of a mirror so they can attempt to draw a self-portrait. If you had to draw a picture of yourself as you enter this new year, what would you draw? Are you expectant or regretful, hopeful or cynical, self-confident or self-condemning, trusting or fearful, tired ...  Read More