children Sabotaging God and the Pursuit of Happiness We all want to be happy. We’re all in our own ways striving after the things we think will bring us that long happiness. I know I am. But I also know that I have a tendency of sabotaging God when He does
Adults Snow Day In the Adult World Today is a snow day here. Still working, but working from home. I’ve realized that a snow day like today is a catch-22 for most adults, a term which I now must begrudgingly apply to myself. After college (even in college), snow days
Economy Of Grace The Economy of Grace: Free But Not Cheap http://instagram.com/p/ddDnQzvdA1/embed/ Free in the economy of grace Grace is extended freely to all who ask it of God. Two millennia ago, God secured the future of grace when He sent His Son to the cross and Jesus rose forever
Civil Wars The Sound of Silence to a Racing Heart I will fully admit that I love the Civil Wars. The band, that is, not any armed conflict that may have come to mind. Anyway, I was listening to their new album and the song “Same Old Same Old” played on the way to
gifts A Gift Is What You Make Of It If I’m honest, I’ve been given a lot in my life. A lot is even a gross understatement, but that’s beside the point. You know what gift out of all of them I treasure most? It’s relationships. For those of
Christian living Essentials of Faith: Purpose I was having a conversation with someone the other week and we were briefly catching up. I was telling them about buying a house and my experience thus far. Their reaction was somewhere between calling me crazy and feeling sorry I’d chosen so
Christian life Love Those Around Us. Use Our Gifts. I hope y’all had a good weekend. I wouldn’t consider myself rested, but somewhat refreshed after Sunday. Between a great message at my mom’s church and watching “Hitchcock”, I was reminded what this life is to look like. I was reminded
culture Grace Is Not Just Unmerited Favor “Grace, it’s not just unmerited favor. It’s unmerited favor that is first and foremost forwarding a cause greater than we could ever understand.” I’m not sure how many times grace has been defined to me, but I assure you it’s
bold Faith Is: What I’m Learning Faith is a topic slippery as an eel. Given that I’m referring to faith in an infinite being, it would be unfitting for this faith to be any more concrete. Friends, I’m learning that this week. While I’ve found many things
Christian life Why We Need Negative People In Our Lives We need negative people in our lives. Let that sink in. To be honest, I hate when someone tells me ‘no’ or that my idea is a bad one. Those of you saying “no idea is a bad one,” have obviously never met me.
create Work Is a Gift I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil — this is God’s gift to man. — Ecclesiastes
baby jesus Emmanuel The idea of baby Jesus doesn’t sit well with our culture. Much less does the grownup on the cross supposedly providing a sacrifice for the sin for which we cannot atone. I believe the deity of Jesus is the single greatest stumbling block
alone People Along the Way People along the way. It’s a fact of life that we’ll meet various individuals throughout our lives. Those people come in great variety, but the kind I’m most interested in are the ones who stick around, the ones who ask questions,
faith Gifts Of the Spirit Gifts of the Spirit. So, there I was sitting in front of a table full of adults leading a discussion on the Holy Spirit. I was teaching them on the gifts of the Spirit, a 23-year-old teaching a group over twice his age and
cheap Free Is Costly Free is costly. There’s an aspect of my faith that I realized as I was finishing up Prodigal God by Tim Keller that I grossly misunderstand on a daily basis. That is the matter of grace and the disillusionment I have with its
christian Why Community? Why community? The topic of community has come up several times recently in posts and I feel like it’s time to begin to understand why community is such an integral part to this life. Honestly, I couldn’t begin to undertake that task
easter What Does Resurrection Mean? What does resurrection mean? I love Easter more than most people, but I have to admit this question has entered my mind and it’s only a small part of the larger question. We celebrate Easter, but so what? Some guy Jesus was raised
ask Unwilling To Ask Unwilling to ask. I don’t know what it was in particular, perhaps I was just afraid of upsetting my father growing up, but I neglected to ask him for many things throughout my childhood. He would promise me things and, I suppose in
gifts We All Receive Gifts We Don’t Want We all receive gifts we don’t want. I received a flannel shirt several years ago, which at the time I thought to be the most heinous piece of clothing ever made. Strangely, I kept it and today it’s one of the favorite
christ How Quickly We Forget How quickly we forget. Christmas is this weekend and to be honest, my mood yesterday wouldn’t have given you indication whether it was Jesus’ birthday or Judgment Day. OK, the whole truth here is I highly dislike to use my brakes when possible
beauty Cure for the Mondays I have to admit, it’s easy to love Mondays when you’re not working. They, like every other day of the week, are merely Saturdays and everyone loves Saturday. Now that I’ve been working a couple weeks, I’ve come to find
Dad I’ve Done the Unthinkable I’ve had conversations with people about how ludicrously stupid, self-absorbed and pointless I think it is, yet I today caved and created a Twitter account. I never thought it would come to this, but it most certainly has. I don’t think this