Comfort for God’s People In Election Year Madness

why do the nations rage?

My grandfather spent a lot of time in foxholes. As a soldier in General Patton’s Third Army, he landed at Normandy shortly after D-Day. Following the Allied forces as they advanced toward liberating Paris from Nazi control, he was often under enemy fire. One time, he dove into a foxhole unlike any other he’d been […]

Your Top 10 Holy Leisure Posts from 2023 + A Free Offer

Top 10 from 2023

Last week I read an article that described Christian writing as lexical sweat and keyboard calisthenics. The author said Christian wordcraft is an exercise where we rearrange 26 letters into words, sentences, and paragraphs with the hope that the Spirit would use a turn of phrase to turn a reader’s heart. We desire to convey […]

The Greatest Gift this Christmas is the Self-Emptying Savior

Life to the Fullest

At Christmas, we long for fullness. The kind that causes us to loosen our waistbands, and revel in its magic. With stocked refrigerators, full calendars, and tree skirts loaded with presents, we anticipate creating memories that will overflow for years to come. The most wonderful time of the year comes with high expectations and high […]

Blessed: The Rooted and Fruited Life of Psalm 1

The path to the good life

The Redwoods stood at attention like an army of giants all around us. We walked along their shadowy paths and craned our necks to see where their branches reached the clouds, often to no avail. There was an otherworldliness to being there like we had stepped into a Narnian realm where everything was lush, green, […]

How to Stand On Solid Ground When the Foundations Are Shaken 

The upright shall behold his face

As a kid, I remember hearing news reports of wars and rumors of wars. Those conflicts were far removed from my life, and I naively assumed the grown-ups would figure it out. This week, like many of you, I’ve grieved over the news coming out of Israel. The headlines and images of the Hamas attack […]

Comfort For Those Who Wait in Expectant Hope

The Gospel According to Simeon

A small cloud of dust kicked up beneath his well-worn sandals as he entered the temple courtyard. Simeon’s heart raced as he moved with an urgency he hadn’t felt in years. His eyes scanned the courtyard, and then he saw them. Making their way through the crowd, the young couple carried their newborn and a […]

How to Live a Life of Holy Leisure, Even When Your Life’s Not Leisurely

The Secret Path of Life

There’s a not-so-secret secret to the Christian life. It’s no exaggeration to say that it’s part of the answer to all your problems, and the key to your spiritual growth. When this secret is applied, even amidst great personal difficulty, you’ll experience more joy, more peace, and more victory over sin. What is this secret […]

Behind the Seen, Providence At Work for Those He Loves

God is for us

Standing before the mirror, she transformed into a true beauty queen. Her maidens knew how to work magic and accentuate all her best features. They selected the King’s favorite dress, carefully applied her makeup, and tied a royal robe around her shoulders. Her long dark hair was pinned away from her face, and the finishing […]

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Follow your Champion

The battle lines had been drawn, but the two armies were at a standstill. Israel and Judah gathered on the north side of the valley of Elah, and their long-time enemy, the Philistines, were arrayed to the south. For forty days, the Philistines taunted the armies of the living God, who showed up to battle […]

But if Not, How to Face Our Fiery Trials with Faith

Martin Luther walked into the courtroom at the Diet of Worms to defend his writings and his life. On his way into the assembly, an Army General made his way through the crowd and told Luther he was about to make a more noble stand than he or any of his captains had ever made […]