Although Charlie’s death has shaken us, it has also called us to clarity. If you and I lose sight of these truths, we lose more than a person. We risk losing our witness, our courage, and our mission. 9/25/25
But, I was thinking afterward, “How did Hannah give up this son that she so desperately desired?” Of course she wanted her son for herself, but she wanted her son for God’s glory even more! She wanted a child who would serve the LORD, glorify Him, and further His Kingdom. 2/20/25
This isn’t your typical Christian to-do list you would normally see while scrolling through Pinterest. This list is specifically curated for those who want to strive to be creatively intentional about living a deep and meaningful Christian life in 2025. 1/9/25
As we enter this new year together, though it may be littered with uncertainty and we may feel trepidation, what awaits us may in fact be beauty, respite, and life. Whatever lies ahead, we shall face the growing dawn with clean swords, thick armor, and hearts confident in one thing. 12/31/24
Christ, however, came to defeat death and all that it brought with it. On that old rugged cross, Christ took on every part of our ugliness. Can you imagine? The very incarnation of beauty itself was made hideously ugly. Not only does the Lord seek to restore that beauty and innocence by inviting us to die to ourselves and experience a glorious resurrection in Him, but He goes a step further.
To know the signs of the times is much more than reading news headlines and knowing popular reel audios. In fact, it’s knowing what is significant about the happenings of our world. It’s knowing what is shaping us, forming us, and molding us. It’s wholeheartedly believing that we are alive in a time full of significance, positioned uniquely in the story of the world that God is writing as we progress day-by-day toward the final chapter.
It is true that the Christian life is not a constant high, and what matters more than anything else is where we run when we have feelings we can’t deal with on our own. You see, discouragement is a beautiful part of the Christian life only because God uses it to bring us closer to Himself. He helps soften our hearts to feel what He feels, and it is in that moment, when we feel what He feels, that we can best care, love, and serve.
You can hope with all of your soul that it will work out in the end if you hold on to Jesus, to the stories which inspire us anew, and to the people like Samwise Gamgee who will always stick by your side and remind you of the things which really matter when you can’t seem to remember yourself.
Lucy wasn’t “lucky to know”. She was simply trusting that Aslan hadn’t and wouldn’t abandon them, and it was in this act that she was proving herself to Aslan. This provided her with the hope and courage she needed for the future challenges they were about to face.
I’m always amazed when I see the multitude of damage a single mediocre man can make in his sphere of influence. My encounters with these men have led me to promise myself one thing: Whatever the circumstance, turning to mediocrity and selfishness is not an option.
You see, when I look back at the days that I would say are the most spiritually fulfilling days of my life, they are the days when I was willing to put a lot of effort into my relationship with Christ. I was praying, studying, and serving every day. They were the days when I learned how to pray with people and share the Gospel with them, and I actually went out and did that on a regular basis. They were the days when I saw the truth being ignored and injustice being accepted, and I spoke out, in love, against it.
The present pressure and anxiousness we’re all feeling is a direct result of the evil that is freely roaming about, but there should be a radical difference in the way we continue to operate when compared to people who have no hope and have not put their trust in Jesus.
This dark, gloomy weather here in Ohio made it feel like a good day to share a poem! I love this one in particular because it encourages us to not stand idle when God has given us work to do. Though we may not think it to be grand, nevertheless, it is our mission!
Getting what you want is never really what you want. We are our own problem, and until we get ourselves out of the way by surrendering all to Christ, we will only create more disorder within our lives.
I believe that continuing to see ourselves as sinners after we are saved is wrong, and that wrong view of ourselves has a hugely negative impact on our growth as Christians. It keeps us right where the enemy wants us; not living in the fullness of Christ!
But what if we could be the people to really give them something to follow? What if we helped them to follow the radically different Christ-like path? Throughout history, it has been the people who are willing to live radically who have made a difference, won wars, expanded the gospel, and saved nations. They have been radically different in the face of fear and darkness and have made the decision to break away from the crowd.
From the time when he was that innocent child in a manger, this was his goal. This was his mission. This is the reason He suffered and died. To deal with Darkness.
I believe that a childlike faith actually consists of this thought that we are merely a small part in the big scheme of life, but we take pride in Jesus wanting to use us. We still see those endless possibilities, but they are now cultivated by God, and used to help us step off the shore and dive into an ocean of incredibility.
Advent is a chance for us to prepare for the coming or arrival of the most important person into our midst. Friend, is Jesus your longed-for guest today and every day? Do you desire the arrival of the kingdom in your home and in your heart this Advent season?
I invite you to allow God to bring you back to Him this Christmas. Back to His heart and what truly matters in life. The reason He came into this world was to save us from our wretched sin and the misery that pertains to it. May revivals take place in our hearts and homes this year as we begin where we may have left our first love.
The American Church has always stood strong on fighting for life in the past; we cannot stop now because of our ignorance. I strongly believe that this is Satan’s plan. If he can keep us ignorant, then we will fall for anything.
Suffering isn’t easy. Pain isn’t comfortable. Disappointment isn’t ideal. But it doesn’t mean that it can’t be beautiful.
Let me tell you, I’ve been hit for a little bit of all those things at one time or another. But the moment I made the decision to not get hit for my stupid decisions, but for the truth I want to spread about Jesus, the atmosphere completely changed in my boxing ring.
The Few 