Blog Archives

Oct 07, 2019 08:00am

Why Your Kid is Obsessed With Video Games

Video games offer a world for your kids where they are the ones with power. The lure is easy to […]

1192 Views
Oct 06, 2019 08:00am

Blessings That Can’t Be Bought

A father took his family on a vacation to Washington, D.C. so that his two children would have the opportunity […]

947 Views
Oct 05, 2019 08:00am

Three Prayers for Effective Evangelism

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God […]

3228 Views
Oct 03, 2019 08:00am

Ministry and the Celebrity Culture

Everyone likes a pat on the back or for someone to say, “Great Job!”  The reality is that pride is […]

905 Views
Oct 02, 2019 08:00am

What Can Chickens and Scary Moms Teach Us About Jesus?

If you’ve done much reading through the Gospels, you know that Jesus has a long history of picking the most […]

1197 Views
Oct 01, 2019 08:00am

Wine at the Wedding and A Future Miracle

John 2:1-10 chronologically records the first miracle recorded in the Bible that Jesus performed: Turning water into wine at a […]

1482 Views
Sep 30, 2019 08:00am

The Kingdom of Self: 3 Ways to Conquer It

Why has it taken me so long to “get it”? It’s been 45 years, and I still don’t understand that […]

1653 Views
Sep 29, 2019 08:00am

Three Kinds of Worship

One Sunday morning a small boy was sitting by his mother during the morning worship service. Like most small children, […]

1469 Views
Sep 28, 2019 08:00am

“You Heard Her”: The Power of a Praying Mom

I recently wrote that Augustine, though raised by his Christian mother to love Jesus, was not a Christian for a […]

2534 Views
Sep 27, 2019 08:00am

Augustine: Pride, Sex and the Power of Jesus

Through my seminary studies, I recently read about the conversion of Augustine, one of the giants of Christian leadership and thought […]

1394 Views
Sep 26, 2019 08:00am

The Question Is NOT, “When Do Boys Become Men?

Shaping our boys is a daunting challenge. It’s one that lies heavy on every parent’s heart. I know it burdens […]

968 Views
Sep 25, 2019 08:00am

Put Your Clothes On!

I have a love/hate relationship with my morning routine. There are things I absolutely LOVE! There are things I absolutely hate! […]

1138 Views
Sep 24, 2019 08:00am

The Birth of a Lioness

My whole life changed when I realized something as a young mama: Church was not enough. I know, I know […]

1806 Views
Sep 23, 2019 08:00am

9 Reasons You Should Study the Bible (Right Now)

Why should you study the Bible? It’s old. It’s long. There are a lot of weird names in it. And […]

1515 Views
Sep 22, 2019 08:00am

Jesus and Racism

Last year two black men were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks after the white manager contacted police. When a video […]

1243 Views
Sep 21, 2019 08:00am

Three Aspects of the Unchanging God

Sadness wrenched through my heart like a knife stabbing into my chest. A lump swelled in my throat and I […]

1649 Views
Sep 20, 2019 08:00am

The Gospel is Your Redo Button

Have you ever wished for a “Redo” button? Have you ever had a day that started off so completely on […]

3660 Views
Sep 19, 2019 08:00am

Want to Feel Full? Pray This Prayer.

Around 9:00 every night, my dog Duke stares longingly up at the cabinet above my husband’s recliner. He knows exactly […]

1164 Views
Sep 18, 2019 08:00am

Getting Rid of FOMO

FOMO (the fear of missing out) ain’t dead is it? Like, here I am age 28 and I still scroll […]

1404 Views
Sep 17, 2019 08:00am

Five Steps to Understanding the Bible

At one point in my life, I wanted to be an archeologist. I thought it would be amazing to dig […]

1139 Views
Sep 16, 2019 08:00am

11 UNHEALTHY Ways to Disciple Gen Z

In some ways, discipling Gen Z (those born anywhere from 1999-2015) is no different from any other generation preceding it. […]

1095 Views
Sep 15, 2019 08:00am

Where We Are, Where We Should Be

(Originally published March 2016) I haven’t weighed in much on the current political environment. Don’t get me wrong I believe this […]

1211 Views
Sep 14, 2019 08:00am

Reflecting Our Owners’ Character

In an article in the New Yorkermagazine, author Malcolm Gladwell writes that vicious dogs are often not inherently vicious, but are […]

1163 Views
Sep 13, 2019 08:00am

Technology in Ministry: Balance is the Key

When I was a kid, I was not motivated to learn how to ride a bike. It just wasn’t something […]

1251 Views
Sep 12, 2019 08:00am

Divorce: Beauty From Ashes

Divorce.  In American society, it has become the norm. In fact, the United States has the sixth highest divorce rate […]

2105 Views
Sep 11, 2019 08:00am

Living When You Feel Like Dying

It was one year ago today that my baby girl stepped out of this world and into eternity. “For to […]

1372 Views
Sep 10, 2019 08:00am

The Relationship-Focused Church

Church planting is relational because the gospel is relational. When Jesus commissioned the disciples to “go and make disciples,” it […]

1093 Views
Sep 09, 2019 17:00pm

Purpose in Pain

Divorce.  It’s an ugly word, isn’t it?  And yet in American society, it has become the norm. In fact, the […]

1229 Views
Sep 09, 2019 08:00am

Doubts Come Like a Thief in the Night

In 1972 the rapture movie A Thief in the Night was released, but I didn’t see it in a theater. I saw […]

1336 Views
Sep 08, 2019 08:00am

What is the Purpose of Life?

The Bible Confirms Our Struggle The author of Ecclesiastes says that life is “meaningless” almost forty times over the twelve […]

1078 Views
Sep 07, 2019 17:00pm

What Daniel Says to Our Time

Is it possible to have a thriving relationship with God even in the middle of a culture gone crazy? Absolutely! And […]

1174 Views
Sep 07, 2019 08:00am

“I Choose Mercy!”

My daughter Meredith has always had a very tender heart.  When she was little, she could cry the largest tears […]

1298 Views
Sep 06, 2019 17:00pm

Don’t Put God in a Box

On March 3, 2003 (3/3/3), my cousin Kevin and his wife Beth became parents for the first time when their […]

1311 Views
Sep 06, 2019 08:00am

Holy or Happy?

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, gave us a pathway to happiness called the beatitudes. God blesses those who are […]

887 Views
Sep 05, 2019 17:00pm

Movie Review: Overcomer

Overcomer is a feel-good, faith-based movie that challenges you to think about your true identity.  In the aptly named Christian […]

1838 Views
Sep 05, 2019 08:00am

The Whole Gospel: Why Propitiation Matters

Ever heard a gospel presentation that went something like this: “We are sinners and our sin separates us from God. […]

1488 Views
Sep 04, 2019 17:00pm

Forgiving Like God Does

Have you ever watched a reality TV show where they are all trying to live together in a house or […]

1362 Views
Sep 04, 2019 08:00am

Dr. King, the Cross and Unity

by Brandon Cox Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been an inspiration to me for a number of years because […]

1060 Views
Sep 03, 2019 08:00am

Satan’s Four Favorite Tactics

Satan has been sowing seeds of deceit in my family. This is not surprising or unique because Satan is a […]

4566 Views
Sep 02, 2019 08:00am

Six Keys to a Happy Marriage

Part 1: Communication, Consideration and Commitment:  The keys to a successful marriage will not be found on Dr. Phil’s how […]

972 Views
Sep 01, 2019 08:00am

God’s Answer to the Problem of Loneliness

In Genesis chapter one, the Bible describes the creation of the world. As God paused to contemplate His work at […]

3210 Views
Aug 31, 2019 08:00am

Giving God Control

 The day my oldest daughter gave birth is a day forever imprinted in my memory. Since he was the first […]

1850 Views
Aug 30, 2019 06:30am

More Languages, More People, More gospel

At the beginning of 2018 our language count was around forty. I say “around” because we couldn’t always get a […]

1615 Views
Aug 29, 2019 08:00am

When You Need Healing

It’s no doubt this world occupies a space of suffering more than any other location in our universe. Earth is […]

1088 Views
Where is God in the hard times
Aug 28, 2019 19:00pm

A Solitary Firefighter

Every summer, I enjoy my precious bit of free time by reading a few books merely for enjoyment or my […]

1116 Views
Aug 28, 2019 15:00pm

Our 3 Excuses for Not Reading the Bible

I make excuses for not reading the Bible every day. And this is coming from a pastor. A formally-trained-in-biblical-theology pastor. […]

1809 Views
Aug 27, 2019 06:00am

High School: How to Survive and Thrive

Seriously, high school is tough. If it’s not the AP classes and the pressure for more college credits, it’s the […]

1356 Views
Aug 26, 2019 04:00am

Whose Truth is True?

Truth. It’s a subject that has evolved and changed.  A topic that has been stretched, questioned and misused over time. Where […]

1107 Views
Aug 25, 2019 06:00am

Tending the Gardens of Our Lives

It’s too nice of a day to stay indoors! The flowers that the kids and I planted are doing GREAT, […]

1262 Views
Aug 24, 2019 06:30am

Six Ways to Prepare for Worship

Last Sunday was an incredible day of worship at our church! The music, fellowship, serving, and community that took place […]

5155 Views