In first grade, my teacher picked a leader for our class each day. The leader's primary job consisted of taking the daily collection of lunch money to the school office. Additionally, the leader had the chance to select a classmate to join them on the trip to the office. We six-year-olds felt important marching the [...]

"I must be the worst evangelist in the world," I thought, as worry knitted itself inside of me. In church, I preferred being at the back, behind the scenes. Everyone around me was confident, talkative, and quickly put themselves on the frontline. I had heard about the Holy Spirit transforming the disciples from quivering cowards [...]

The next morning, we continued down the forest path. After a couple hours, we came to a clearing on the top of a hill. I set down my pack with a grunt. My shoulders were sore where the straps had been digging in. He gestured to my pack and said, “That's a heavy load.” I [...]

After a while, I kept walking. Mercifully, the sun continued its course in the sky and no longer beat down on me. I pulled a crust of stale bread from my pack and ate as I walked. I tried to remember an old hymn to turn my thoughts to praise, but I was too tired [...]

The sun beat down on my back. Was I going the right way? Sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes. I had known the journey was going to be hard, but I didn't expect it to be—confusing. As I trudged down the path, I squinted to see what lay ahead. Was that? No. Not [...]

Have you ever been at school, with nothing to eat, and felt so hungry? Have you been on a diet or had to fast for a doctor's appointment? It isn't fun when we can't satisfy our physical cravings, and it's even worse when we can't meet our basic needs. On a deeper level, we all [...]

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” God made the vast heavens with the glorious light of the sun and the calming reflection of the moon. And to top it off, He sprinkled the sky with innumerable twinkling stars that bring us delight at night. He created [...]

"I hope this isn't a prank," Jacob thought, waiting in the park by the daisies, just like the unusual parchment in his hand instructed. "It would be typical of me to fall for it." Glancing around, he expected someone to jump out and shout, “Gotcha!” But there wasn't anyone about. Wanting to turn back home, [...]

Anna shifted her legs. Sitting in the crowded marketplace was hot, but she had come with many other people wanting to hear from this man named Jesus, who some said was the Messiah. Dust blew across her lap as a man stood up. Anna almost gasped, recognizing an expert of the law. She listened intently [...]

Hebrews 12 encourages us to run the race that God has set before us, which is possible when we keep “our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (verse 2). Not only did Jesus start the race and finish the race, but He ran it faithfully—for us. He didn't take His [...]