Communion: What Is It Really About?
Think about the most memorable meal you have ever had. Perhaps it was a specific holiday meal that conjures up warm memories with loved ones. Maybe it was that birthday dinner when you turned thirty. Or your first date at a “fancy” restaurant. For me, it was the pizza my wife and I...
The Freedom We Can Find
We all long for freedom. The freedom to live fully, breathe deeply, and let go of everything that holds us back. For much of my life, I misunderstood what freedom was. I thought it was about independence, about making my own way and proving I could do it all on my own. But the harder I fought...
Why Community Matters
Let’s be honest, people are messy and friendships are hard. How many of us have been hurt by a friend, betrayed by someone we trusted, or felt like we were the only ones making any effort in the relationship? I know I have. So, what’s the point? Sometimes it seems easier to just not...
A God Who Listens
“Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And you can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? … I will stand at my watch and station myself on the...
Like a River
I recently saw a social media post that asked people to: “Post a picture of a time where you felt truly happy.” As I scrolled through the posts, I saw no pictures of families running through an airport or of cars full of people trapped on the I-70 weekend parking lot. There were no...
Removing the Mask: Finding Freedom in Jesus
When you hear the word “church,” what comes to mind? Maybe it’s a white-steepled building with stained glass windows. Inside, people exchange polite greetings, neatly dressed, and sitting on colorful padded chairs arranged in perfect rows. Everything looks calm, and composed...
New Year, New You
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! —2 Corinthians 5:17 Have you made a New Year's resolution? For years, I welcomed the new year with a fresh goal, a resolution. After all, that’s what...
The Spirit of Giving
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16 In the stillness of the night, a tiny, helpless cry pierced the world's silence with a message of hope...
Faith in Uncertainty
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:29–30) Circumstances sometimes rattle our faith. No one knew this more than Mary, the...
Joyful or Jaded
Throughout my life I watched opportunities pass by, relationships mend and flourish, babies born, and dreams come alive. Yet for some reason, these all felt out of reach for me. After a while, I stopped rejoicing and became jaded. Anxiety and greed set in. This happened because my focus...