Locations & Times

What will people think? Although I haven’t said them out loud, I have given away power to these four words more times than I care to admit. And I’m not alone. The Bible provides numerous examples of tragic endings and missed opportunities for people who, instead of honoring God...

Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water … When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine … [he] called the bridegroom and said...

Jesus is a gift giver. He gave the gift of sight, life and creation. There is one gift that He offers everyone He encounters. Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman are two people who Jesus personally offered this gift to, yet their perceptions and beliefs almost made them miss out on someone that...

When I was in elementary school, my art teacher asked us to color an entire sheet of white construction paper with bright, vibrant colors. We spent weeks filling our sheets with electric, luminous, Crayola colors. The only color we were prohibited from using was black. I can still remember the...

Every year, January shows up with fresh promises, bold goals, and the hope that this time will be different. And yet, if we’re honest, some years feel less like a fresh start and more like the movie Groundhog Day—waking up to the same patterns, the same struggles, and the same...

December is filled with emotion. It arrives almost unexpectedly; although we know it’s coming, it still feels like a surprise. As we wrap presents, we're also wrapping up the year. We step back and look at either the perfectly wrapped gift or a job that's “good enough,” and...

I sat in my car, overwhelmed and emotional. I had spent the whole morning baking, cleaning, and doing laundry; I was exhausted. All I wanted was to take a nap, but I couldn’t because I had a lunch date with a friend. December can feel overwhelming, can’t it? When our schedules fill...

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. — Romans 6:23 Have you ever reflected on why things, money, and relationships don’t satisfy long-term? Once you acquire something that you intensely desired, its significance seems to...

I wish I could say my Christmas homecoming in 2007 looked like something out of a Hallmark movie. You know … the surprise return on Christmas Eve, the snow falling perfectly, and the family reunion that makes everyone cry happy tears. I wish I could say that was my story. But it...

Christmas is when we often hear the Nativity story—Jesus coming to earth, born of a virgin in a humble stable. We hear about the excitement of shepherds, angels, and wise men for His coming. But the question is: Why did Jesus come? I wasn’t raised in church. Most of what I learned...