I remember it clearly, I was 12 starting 8th grade at a new school in a new town and my life was ridiculously messy. It was just me and a single parent. The rest of my family was scattered and had already stopped going to church, so I started walking to a church. I’d wanted…

Since January 1, 2017, we, as a church, have been having thirty-one consecutive evenings of prayer. We are now two weeks into our thirty-one days. For those of you who have not been able to attend, we spend an hour together waiting with God from 7:00-8:00 p.m. each evening. We have been playing a list…

You’ve probably heard it said that the gospel transforms lives. But how? What does it look like for the gospel to transform us? And does the gospel really reach down into the big struggles we face—like depression, or paralyzing fear and anxiety, or sexual sin? Answering those questions is what my friend Scott Mehl, who…

In the running community to which I belong there is a certain frame of thinking that runners use to categorize themselves. There are the A runners (who run fast and long), the B runners (who run steady and reasonable), and the C runners (who enjoy the experience of just being out there regardless of the…

Most of us are not accustomed to praying for any length of time. At best we are sporadic and distracted. At worst we feel like we are failures when it comes to praying. We are about as good as non-believers in prayer in that we can throw up a few ‘Hail Mary’ type prayers and…

Three Reasons I’m excited about 31 Days of Prayer I need a fresh word. I have been running in the same direction for a very long time – same job, same city, same house, same Odyssey mini van, same routine. I’m not complaining. I love my life. It’s secure and comfortable and I am reasonably…

“Remember that overwhelmingly sad feeling when you learned that someone you loved died? Remember the guilt and embarrassment you felt after your biggest failure was exposed? Remember facing the biggest problem in your life and thinking that it was impossible to fix? Remember that time, as a little kid, when someone held you under the…

4 Guiding Principles and 4 Practical Strategies for More Fun and Less Drama at Your Next Family Gathering I hope your Thanksgiving was better than ours. The morning started out great. The food prep was smooth and easy. Everyone seemed happy and lighthearted. We even said grace before the meal and several people were teary-eyed…