Writing is drudgery. Flannery O'Connor, an incredibly gifted author, once said, "Writing is like giving birth to a piano sideways." Making this point might seem like a peculiar way to begin an article called The Pleasures of Writing, but agony is part of what leads to enjoyment. The fact that writing is not easy is … Continue reading The Pleasures of Writing
There is a change in the air. The weather still feels like summer, but the shift is undeniable. We are leaving the slower summer days behind and heading into the more structured, disciplined focus of fall. One of the primary reasons for this shift is the academic calendar. Multitudes of children and adults are back … Continue reading 7 Tips for A New Academic Year
He always said his heart was satisfied in Christ alone—that he needed nothing else. He even believed it was true until the Lord enrolled him in the school of contentment. It is easy to boast when things are good, but the believer must often be trained by many hardships to make contentment a reality. Our … Continue reading In the School of Contentment
Many of our mundane moments go unnoticed, but we should pause to appreciate them occasionally because they will soon come to an end. I am sure this will sound strange to some of you, but I take pleasure in pulling out a chair and sitting next to a table or desk. The simpler, the better. … Continue reading Finding Joy in the Ordinary
Some of the most significant damage we inflict on our life together is caused by our efforts to create Christian community. If you asked 100 churchgoers to define “Christian community,” you would end up with 100 variations—many idealistic and unfeasible. Now, consider that many of those churchgoers expect their church to meet their expectations, and … Continue reading Does Your Church Lack Community? This Might Be the Problem.
We all struggle with sin, but we must remember that sin makes us foolish. It is never reasonable, and when we are in the throes of temptation, we often become ignorant. It is as if sin puts blinders on our eyes, causing us to forget what is important to us. These blinders are why, when … Continue reading 7 Things to Remember When Tempted to Sin
God is doing more in our hardships than we can possibly conceive. Imagine you come down with an illness, or maybe you do not need to imagine it because you are facing something like that right now. This malady is not a short illness; it is something long and troublesome, so you ask the Lord … Continue reading A Thousand Wheels of Providence
One biblical truth dramatically turned my frustration into contentment. We were driving through Los Angeles, and that only meant one thing: traffic. Without traffic, the trip would have taken an hour, but in L.A., that never happens. We were fortunate that it was Sunday afternoon, which meant the typical two-hour trip would only take an … Continue reading The Road to Contentment
We are likely more conformed to the age in which we live than we realize. Even those of us who stand firmly opposed to many of its most significant sins might still conform in other ways. We rarely recognize much of the worldliness around us because it is well-mannered and has an air of … Continue reading The Invisible Chains of Cultural Conformity
I had the incredible privilege of joining the Kurt and Kate Morning Show on Moody Radio today to discuss one of my favorite topics: the power of prayer. During our conversation, we delved into the "5 Things Prayer Has the Power to Do." We shared inspiring stories from George Müller and my dad and other … Continue reading A Conversation on Prayer with Kurt and Kate
The Fight of Faith 