READ: PSALM 119:9-16, 97-105; MATTHEW 11:28-12:8 Have you ever been in such a rush that you gulped down a meal too quickly to really enjoy it? We live in a fast-paced world that doesn’t prioritize taking time to care for ourselves and others. As Christians, sometimes this problem shows up when we spend time reading [...]

READ: HEBREWS 4:14-16 Anger. Sadness. Fear. These and other emotions can be tough to regulate, and it can make us wonder: are emotions even good? God made us with emotions, and they are good. They help us process hard things we face in our world that’s been broken by sin. And emotions can even help [...]

READ: JOHN 14:18; REVELATION 21:1-5 Have you ever been really homesick? When we’re traveling someplace far away from loved ones—even if we’re traveling for good reasons—it’s totally understandable that we miss our friends and family. God created us with a need for community with Him and other people. That’s why Jesus said the two most [...]

READ: EPHESIANS 2:8-10; 4:17-24; 5:2 Two thousand degrees Fahrenheit. That’s how hot glass has to be heated in order for it to be molded. When professional glassblowers have a glob of this molten material on the end of a tool called a blowpipe, they blow into it to create the shape they want. These artists [...]

READ: LAMENTATIONS 3:19-26; JOHN 5:24; ROMANS 7:14–8:1 A vivid sunset reached over the aqua waters of my home on Zakynthos Island. I slid my hand down my pteranodon’s sleek, yet powerful neck as he lifted his wings, carrying me higher into the color-splashed sky. Apostolos had been my constant companion since the night he landed [...]

READ: PSALM 37:5; PROVERBS 3:5; ISAIAH 26:3-4; 1 PETER 5:6-7 "I don’t think I can go any higher.” I glanced down at my friends, saw how far away the floor was, and gripped the handholds more tightly. I was regretting my decision to go rock climbing. “Okay,” my friend Natalie called, “then just push off.” [...]

READ: ISAIAH 64:6; ROMANS 3:23-24; GALATIANS 2:15-21 Even though I couldn’t understand the words erupting around me, I sensed we were going to be thrown off the tram. I had arrived in Romania to serve for a year in ministry. Earlier that evening, my teammates and I had purchased tickets and boarded a tram to [...]

READ: EZEKIEL 11:15-21; 39:21-29 "Where is God when there are wars and sicknesses? Where is God when my friends are hurting?" If you’ve asked these questions, you’re not alone. People have been wondering for thousands of years. One person who responded to these questions was Ezekiel, a messenger to God’s people, the Israelites. Ezekiel preached [...]

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:20-27; EPHESIANS 2:10 Have you ever seen a patchwork quilt project? When leftover fabric is too small to make something on its own, it can be combined with other leftover fabrics in a patchwork design to create something unique, beautiful…and eco-friendly! Patchwork projects are incredibly versatile—you can make quilts, bags, clothes, and [...]

READ: LUKE 15:11-32; JOHN 3:16-17 In the Old Testament, the coming of the Messiah was foretold by several prophets. Many Israelites thought the Messiah—the One who would save God’s people—would be a political leader who would restore their freedom and save them from their oppressor, Rome. But when Jesus came as the Messiah, He came [...]