Why did Jesus have to die? That's a big question for us today, and I bet it was an even bigger question for Jesus' disciples when He started talking about His upcoming death and resurrection. They were Jesus' closest friends, and they didn't understand what He was saying. Peter really didn't like to hear Jesus [...]

We train for lots of things in our lives. We might train to play an instrument or train to get a good grade on a test at school or train to win a race. I ran track for two years in high school. I left practice exhausted, but I felt stronger. The physical training was [...]

When God created the first humans, Adam and Eve, they didn't criticize each other. They were content to love each other without making judgments. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world, appearances began to matter. They were ashamed of their bodies. We see this fixation on appearance throughout human history. [...]

One of my favorite Bible passages is Jesus' parable of the lost sheep. I'm amazed by the idea of a God who loves His children so much that He will leave the ninety-nine to chase down one. Just picture this story for a moment and imagine what you would do if you were the shepherd. [...]

One of my favorite Bible verses is Romans 8:38-39 because it says we are inseparable from the love of God. That's a powerful statement. Few things in this shattered, divided world are inseparable. Friends lose touch with each other, separated by time or distance or disagreement. Families drift apart. Human love isn't always strong enough [...]

Many of us are familiar with Jesus' Great Commission to His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, telling us to go and make disciples of all nations. I love these Bible verses, and so does the church as a whole. We've emblazoned them on laptop stickers and bracelets. Serving others is a trendy thing to do. But [...]

A few summers ago, my husband and I were invited to an outdoor wedding. The reception was in a barn, and the summer humidity was at full strength, so we assumed attire would be casual. I wore a sundress, and my husband wore a polo shirt and khakis. We were wrong about the dress code—evening [...]

Stephen died for his faith. Because Stephen performed signs in Jesus' name and shared the gospel, some of the Jews seized him and testified against him. Instead of defending himself, Stephen took the opportunity to share God's story. And then he called the Sanhedrin (probably some of the same Jewish religious leaders who sentenced Jesus [...]

Church has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I'm used to sitting through sermons and standing for worship sets. But there are some Sundays when I don't want to sing. I move my lips with the words, but nothing comes out. These songs are meant to glorify God, [...]

Fear shows its face in a lot of ugly ways. It distorts the way we view the future and the past. It creates worst-case scenarios in our minds and builds walls around our hearts. Fear is a tool of the enemy. But God reminds us again and again that we have no reason to buy [...]