Blog Archives
A New Year, a New Decade, the Same Promise
Starting a new decade makes me think of all kinds of things. This year will mark twenty years since I […]
Do You Have “Dishwasher Faith”?
It seems to me that the dishwasher has got to be the most misunderstood appliance in our homes today. I […]
What Does it Mean to be “Born Again”?
We’ve all heard the phrase “born again”. Some mock. Some scratch their temple. Some bend their knees in worship. But, […]
When Godly People Get Depressed
I recently wrote the following tweet, and it received a lot of reaction. Good people get depressed. Godly people get depressed. […]
What We Missed During the Busy-ness of Christmas
I have been so busy this last month. Christmas parties, decorating for Christmas, wrapping presents, keeping kids out of the […]
The Secret of Christianity We So Often Forget
The secret of Christianity is that God has given us himself. That’s the prize. And many Christians today have lost […]
When Everything Seems to be Falling Apart
Sometimes, everything around you seems to be falling apart. Your kids are making bad choices… You can’t seem to communicate […]
How Do I Know I’m Really a Christian?
I’ve lost count of people who’ve come into my office asking, “How do I know I’m a Christian? Like, really know?” […]
The Best Resolution Ever
There is no escaping the fact that we live in a very divided country. It seems that the political division […]
He Calms the Storm and He Heals Our Hearts
Late one evening, Jesus and the disciples boarded a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee to the other side […]
Lesson From The Grinch
One of my favorite subtle movie lines is found in The Grinch (the Jim Carrey edition). In a scene where he’s busy […]
Your Christmas Table Isn’t Extravagant Enough
Wow, the spread this year! Whether you’re catering in from a restaurant (be honest, it’s tempting!) or delegating dishes to […]
Surviving the Most Wonderful Time of the Year when You’re Grieving
by Lifeword Executive Director Donny Parrish Christmas can be the worst. That doesn’t sound very religious coming from a guy […]
Takeaways from Christmas Carols – Part Three (Good King Wenceslas)
“Therefore, Christian men, be sureWealth or rank possessingYe who now will bless the poorShall yourselves find blessing” This is the […]
The Battle of Self Worth in a Performance-Based Culture
I love to please people. I work hard to achieve things- stupid, meaningless things or accomplishments that I think people […]
How to Have Joy in the Suffering
I’ve never understood why Christians are called to be joyful sufferers until recently. Like, I understood the theology, sure. I […]
The Antidote to Holiday Consumerism? Generosity!
Black Friday is so named because Americans do so much shopping that a lot of retailers who have been in the “red” […]
Less Shopping, More Serving During the Christmas Season
Even if you’re an atheist, you know that Jesus is the reason for the season. It’s unpopular and politically incorrect today […]
A Life-Giving Home for the Holidays
During the holiday season, we always hear about going home or other family members coming home. It got me thinking […]
Five Ways to Cope With the Holidays When You’ve Lost a Loved One
Christmas is hard. Once you’ve lost someone you love, it’s bittersweet at best and terribly painful at worst. It’s a […]
Keeping a Soft Heart Amid the Battle of Doctrine
Even though we daily battle against the grim things of this world, keep a soft heart, Christian. A calloused heart […]
Evangelism Begins With Grace
If you’re like me, the word evangelism is a like a guilt switch in my soul. You say “evangelism” and immediately three […]
What Christians Can Learn From Hanukkah
You may have seen a menorah, maybe heard a song about a dreidel, seen golden chocolate coins for sale in […]
“Prone to Wander, Lord, I Feel it”
In 1757 Robert Robinson, a self-proclaimed “wanderer,” wrote the penitent words of a poem we know today as the hymn […]
When it Comes to Loving People, Christians Have a Higher Standard
“Let us not become weary in doing good . . . Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good […]
If You Want a Life of Victory, Fix Your Focus
One of my good friends, Alejandro, will sometimes text me out of the blue to just see how life is. […]
When You’re Disappointed With God
Philip Yancey in his book, Disappointment with God, tells of a letter he received from a woman who was struggling with […]
Is it Happiness You’re After? Or is it Joy?
As I stare at my bag of double chocolate donuts, I ponder the question, where does happiness come from? I […]
How to Find the God Who Delights in Us
With all three of my children, I experienced nearly the same special moment playing hide-and-seek. I would hide. They would […]
The Secret to Keeping Friends
Friendships are often fickle. What’s the secret to keeping friends? I got a story for ya: On an epic day […]
What Should I Say to Fear?
Peanuts characters Linus and Charlie Brown were discussing how to deal with the difficulties of life. Linus tells Charlie Brown […]
Our Messy Relationship With This World
Jesus stayed on the streets and searched the corners to encounter the very people most religious folk snubbed. Jesus comes […]
Happiness Depends on Whose You Are
“Happiness is in the eye of the beholder.” Have you heard that phrase? Usually with “Beauty” instead of “Happiness”? Sure, […]
All People are Made in the Image of God
The Bible clearly states that God is the creator of all human life. (Find a list of some of those […]
Five Ways to Prepare for a Bear Attack
Are you prepared for a bear attack? Our family recently took a vacation to the picturesque Grand Teton Mountains. The […]
YOUR SMART PHONE IS LYING TO YOU, BY THE WAY
Here’s a riddle for you: What do we look at, on average, 63 times a day, for up to 4 […]
People Are Not Your Enemy
People are not the real enemies. Paul made that clear when he said, “For our struggle is not against flesh […]
Four Ways to be Grateful During This Season of Thankfulness
If only my children would be more grateful . . . As a young mom, I was sure that was […]
Ten Reasons I’m Happy and How You Can Get There
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with […]
Twenty Seconds
There are only a handful of times in my life I have thought, “I could die in the next few […]
Rescue From Rebellion
A salvation story doesn’t have to be R-rated to be powerful. We may not all be saved from a life […]
The Hard, Narrow Road to Biblical Literacy
We desire the silver platter of biblical literacy – that we might somehow put in the littlest effort yet receive […]
Grateful: Not Just a Word on a Sign at Hobby Lobby
Hard to believe it’s already November, and it doesn’t seem possible, but it’s the month that officially begins the holiday […]
3 Reasons Your Work Matters and 4 Parts of the Performance Scorecard
(The following is adapted from a devotional by the BMA’s Director of Operations John Meriweather.) Colossians 3:22-24 says, “. . […]
One Thousand Little Compromises
OUR PRIVATE CHOICES AFFECT EVERYONE WE KNOW Every moral decision that we make is like a brick in a wall […]
When You’ve Lost All Hope
The solution to keeping your heart ablaze with hope is redirecting your eyes to Christ. When your eyes remain fixed […]
Are You Consumed With Anxiety or Consumed With Peace?
In Christ I can be anxious for nothing, prayerful in everything and thankful for anything. Why is that, you ask? […]
13 Red Letter Teachings of Jesus
No person in history has ever improved the moral teachings of Jesus. His words of morality were elevated to the […]
A Tattoo of the Cross
I had a conversation with a friend this week about tattoos. It got me thinking. She said… “I really want […]
To Halloween or Not To Halloween
(Originally published as an editorial in the Central Baptist College student newspaper Tower Times) More than a thousand years ago, […]
