Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash How are you holding up in college? How’s your faith holding up? Honestly. College is an exciting, foundational season of life. It’s also a challenging one, especially for Jesus followers. I graduated in 2012, but I work today in college ministry and I still think about lessons I learned during my time as a…
I think I know everything and I hate being told what to do. There’s a bit of that in all of us right? (Please say yes and make me feel a little better about myself, k?) :-) Jokes aside, the truth is there’s something in all of us that doesn’t like being told what to do and that thinks…
A few weeks ago Ariana Grande hosted One Love Manchester, a benefit concert for those affected by the terror attack at the Manchester show on her Dangerous Woman Tour. The concert was a beautiful display of love, resilience and hope in the face of fear as artists and Manchester residents came together for the event. (Watch the concert here) Justin…
"You need a stronger prayer life." Those were the words I heard God impress on my heart in January 2007 when I asked Him if there was a particular area He wanted me to grow in that year. Little did I know that through responding to that simple phrase God would lead me down a path that would make prayer…
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (Proverbs 15:1 // Proverbs 16:24) Words are powerful and the way we use them matters. Too often we treat our world-especially our online world-as a place where we can carelessly throw out criticizing words…
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Those are the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:6 as He gave what is known as the Sermon On The Mount. In this central teaching moment in the ministry of Jesus, He laid out the foundations for life according to His Kingdom. Righteousness in lifestyle is…
Don't you love when art or culture teaches you a lesson about life with Jesus? I do. Last week I shared with you that thankfulness isn't just for Thanksgiving but that you can live with thankfulness and peace every day by thanking God for what He has done in your life and talking to Him about what worries you. That…
How does God feel about you when you fail? Angry? Disappointed? Wants nothing to do with you anymore? If you’re like a lot of people, maybe these are some of the words that come to mind. I used to believe those things. For years, actually. Even after becoming a Christian, I used to think that if made a…
Fun fact about me: I love The Voice. It’s one of my favorite shows. I also love seeing God’s truth illustrated in art and in everyday interactions. So while watching a couple of weeks ago a few things stood out to me that were great illustrations of lessons the Bible teaches us about how to live. Before we jump…
Christianity may not be about what you think it's about. Jesus might be radically different than you think He is. Here’s something you or someone you know may have experienced. You sincerely try to follow Jesus according to His truth. You eventually get confused or frustrated because somewhere in the ocean of well-intentioned self-righteous standards, popular theology of our…