Blog Archives
My Spiritual Journey
A SEASON OF GROWTH Time moves quickly from us, never returning. It’s our most valuable, non-replenishable asset. We can make […]
From Your Big Sister
Dear baby, This is Melody, writing to you the night before you are born into this world. There are a […]
But It’s Not My Fault
It’s obvious to me in the last sixty years there’s been a dramatic decline in the acceptance of personal responsibility […]
Mike Jones: A Lifeword Story of Grace and Mercy
Matthew chapter 17 has the account of Jesus with Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. While they […]
Part Two: Free From Pornography For Good
Pornography is a deadly mistress. She stands poised with promises, willing and ready at a moment’s notice. She strikes unexpectedly, […]
Discipleship Part Two: Three Chairs
SOAR . . . Man, I love this youth conference. Sold Out And Radical. Every summer, we gather up our […]
Part One: The Prominence of Pornography
Pornography addiction is most assuredly an androgynous affair, but for men in particular, the stimulus from pornography activates parts of […]
Discipleship Part One: How Did Jesus Do It?
It wasn’t until after my first year of college that I was truly saved. You’re probably thinking, what does that […]
What it Means to Have a Christian Attitude
The following is adapted from a sermon by Jeff Swart. Philippians 4:8 may be the most important verse in the […]
Static? Move Closer to the Tower
I hate static. Not like the kind that makes your clothes cling to you. I’m talking about static on the […]
How to Control Your FOMO Once and for All
FOMO (the “fear of missing out”) is a real thing, and it’s more intense than ever. We’re afraid we’ll miss […]
Four Practical Lessons from Job’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Have you ever had a day that goes something like this: You are trying to leave for work and the […]
Your Marriage May Be Falling Apart
t I remember very clearly the day God showed me an important truth about my relationship with him. I’m either actively […]
How to be Content in Three Acts (#3 of 3)
ACT III: The Consequences of Covetousness (Numbers 11:31—35) Let’s return to the children of Israel in the wilderness: Numbers 11:31: “Now […]
How to be Content in Three Acts (#2 of 3)
Act II: A Gift From God You Don’t Want (Numbers 11:4-20) In Act I we defined covetousness in four parts. Covetousness […]
How to be Content in Three Acts (#1 of 3)
First Timothy 6:6-10 says, ”But godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing […]
From Worrier to Warrior
My imagination ran wild…What if my friends or the kids got too close to the edge? What would happen then? And how far down was it?
Tips From the Must Have Parenting Handbook
Dr. Spock. Neuropsychology. Behavior modification. Brain science. Energy profiling (huh??). With the plethora of books, blogs, and methods on parenting […]
Complicated Yet So Simple
CGenesis 1:1 says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. We often read the familiarity of […]
Static In Our Lives
I hate static. Not like the kind that makes your clothes cling to you. I’m talking about static on the […]
The Real Truth About Real Men
There are countless voices in our culture ringing through the air with definitions of what men should be like in […]
UPDATE: Blessings and Difficulties of Ministry
(Click here to read the original article published on May 31, 2019.) On the sixth day of the strikes by […]
He’s Already There
Searching… My email is like the pit of despair. I keep everything, you know, just in case. Like all the […]
Your Truth or My Truth?
In people’s lives, there must come a time when they decide for themselves what they really believe. Because I grew […]
Blessings and Difficulties of Ministry
(Click here to read the UPDATE on this article) It is three a.m. In the darkness of the morning, Lifeword […]
If It Feels Right, Do It?
“A system of morality which is based on relative emotional values is a mere illusion, a thoroughly vulgar conception which […]
To Each His Own?
“That may be true for you, but it’s not true for me.” Has anyone ever said this to you in […]
“Just follow your heart.”
Every time I see that phrase tweeted or represented in a pretty meme of some kind, I want to yell, […]
Deliverer From the Enemy
John Paton (1824—1907), missionary to the New Hebrides Islands in the South Pacific, was on one occasion surrounded by a […]
I Never Dreamed
“I never dreamed” when I was a teen that my lifelong best friend would be murdered while sleeping in bed. […]
The Evil in This World
The most formidable problem against Christianity isn’t whether or not God exists, but rather, if he does exist, why he […]
Saved to Serve
In people’s lives, there must come a time when they decide for themselves what they really believe. Because I grew […]
Letter to the Class of 2019
Dear high school graduate, I see your smiling face, your parents’ arms thrown around you, hugging you tightly, and I […]
Graduations & Yanking the Rug
Eighteen years…Eighteen years and two months to be exact. That should have been plenty of time to prepare for what […]
Invitation to Life
All it took was an invitation. An invitation to go to the church around the corner. My family had just […]
The Sting of Loneliness
I remember a time when a very long relationship ended, and the feeling was like a shotgun to my chest. […]
Hi, I’m Lori. I’m infertile. I’m a mom.
“Mrs. Cline” the lady behind the receptionist desk called out. I walked up and answered, “Yes.” “Are you here for […]
Mother’s Day Misery: The Road to Motherhood
Mother’s Day Sundays would bring such heartache for many years. Oh sure, I still had my mom with me (300 […]
Depression: the Battle & the Defeat
Did Jesus battle depression? Seems like a strange question at first, but consider Isaiah’s prophesy of the coming Messiah: “He […]
Two Lies & Two Truths About Joy & Peace
Do you want more joy and peace in your life? Who doesn’t, right? I’ve never heard anyone say, “You know, […]
What Happens When You Pray?
Do you ever wonder what happens when you pray? Sometimes we need a reminder. You may value prayer and you […]
Prayer Doesn’t Fix Everything, But It Changes Everything
I’ve been a praying person for much of my life. Has it worked? Has it fixed me entirely? Apparently not, because I […]
Responsibility Made Me Do It
It was around 1:00 in the morning when I was jarred awake by my wife slapping me in the chest […]
Resurrection: The Burden of Proof
The conception and rise of Christianity in the first century was due to the resurrection of Jesus, and so profoundly […]
Crucifixion: His Agony, the World’s Redemption
“Jesus died on a cross.” We should not be able to utter that without an utterly overwhelming shudder of awe, […]
Addiction Part Three: Restoring Broken Relationships
There’s something beautiful about a restored relationship between a child and their father. At one time, I was angry with […]
Part Two: The Relentless Grip of Addiction
“Life isn’t worth living without it.” Those six words spoken by my dad brought my world racing into high-definition focus […]
Addiction Part One: Returning to Bad Choices
In his wilder days, my dad had a group that he partied with. They were good guys but they all […]
Thoughts, Habits, and a Changed Life
Your life is driven by your thoughts and habits, so let God transform them them today.
When Things Fall Apart
Sometimes, everything around you seems to be falling apart. The markets are down and retirement looks bleak… You can’t seem […]