The Powerful Imagery of Kintsugi

The Powerful Imagery of Kintsugi – “God picks us up and applies the gold of his grace to our brokenness—not disguising it but putting his grace on display for all to see.”

“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?”

“What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?” – “Dear Jesus, bruised reeds, flickering candles, and broken hearts love it when you come near (Isa. 42:3; Matt. 12:20). You are full empathy, compassion, and healing grace.” 

You Must Walk Through Brokenness Before You Appreciate Grace

You Must Walk Through Brokenness Before You Appreciate Grace – “We’ve lost our tolerance for pain and given ourselves to whining.”

There’s a Reason We Call Them “The Lost”

There’s a Reason We Call Them “The Lost” – “Lost animals and lost children can find themselves in very dangerous situations without even realizing it. So can the Lost.”

The Real Christmas Story Is a Subversive Tale About a New Start for a Corrupt World

The Real Christmas Story Is a Subversive Tale About a New Start for a Corrupt World – “As much as sorrow seems out of place in our sanitized, sentimental holiday, it is not at odds with the original Christmas story. In the biblical narrative, we hear the anguished cries of a suffering people, the longing for God to intervene and make all things new.”

COVID And Culture Shock Feel The Same To Your Brain

COVID And Culture Shock Feel The Same To Your Brain – “When someone moves to a completely new culture, many of the ‘autopilots’ your brain uses for thousands of small decisions every day become ineffective. In a similar way, your current environment has likely changed sufficiently enough that many of your own ‘autopilots’ are no longer working.”

Discourse with Enemies

Discourse with Enemies – Jesus Himself exemplified what it means to “bless those who curse you and pray for those who abuse you.”

When Life Feels Hellish

When Life Feels Hellish – “The ability to accept our fallen world helps us in at least two ways.”

How to Flourish Amid Moral Chaos and Outrage

How to Flourish Amid Moral Chaos and Outrage – “We’re in crisis. Currently this includes health, cultural, racial, and economic realities. We struggle to distinguish good from evil. Our moral discernment barometer oscillates like a metronome.”

Small Decisions Matter: Discernment for Everyday Life

Small Decisions Matter: Discernment for Everyday Life – “Right in God’s eyes or right in our own eyes? Two paths. One is self-destructive; one is filled with life.”

Groaning, Waiting, Hoping: How to Live in a Fallen, Fragile World

Groaning, Waiting, Hoping: How to Live in a Fallen, Fragile World – “Why is this world so profoundly and horribly broken? And why do we intuitively and deeply feel it should not be this way? The fact that mankind can’t help but ask both questions is revealing.”

We Are All Exiles Now

We Are All Exiles Now – “It’s clear we are all exiles. We live in a world broken by sin. And while sometimes we enter a situation of exile because of our own sinful actions, it’s at least as common if not more that the deep frustration of exile comes upon us due to the brokenness that mars all parts of this world.”

5 Common Ways Church Members Go Astray

5 Common Ways Church Members Go Astray – “As you engage relationally with your local fellowship and hear of a member in one of these situations, take note: that brother or sister could already be straying. Here are five common ways church members go astray.”

In the Church You Will Have Tribulation, But Be of Good Cheer….

In the Church You Will Have Tribulation, But Be of Good Cheer…. – “We were expecting hostility from the world.  But certainly not from the Lord’s people. Church is where we get blindsided.”

It’s Like in the Great Stories, Mr. Frodo

It’s Like in the Great Stories, Mr. Frodo – For a Lord of the Rings fan like me, this was a good devotional thought today.

Remember Your Chains

Remember Your Chains – “We have the Lord saying that after these sinners have been forgiven, they must remember their former sins and be ashamed of them. Why? So that they will never be arrogant again.” 

Mercy and Gratitude in the Messiness of Life

Mercy and Gratitude in the Messiness of Life – “Heavenly Father, there are some days when it is critical to remember you call us to offer thanks in, not for, all circumstances.”

When God Calls

When God Calls – “Genesis 11:27-32 is more than a genealogy. It’s a status update on humanity. We’re at a dead end.”

The Reality of Sexual Abuse Hits Home: What Happened? What Do We Do Now?

The Reality of Sexual Abuse Hits Home: What Happened? What Do We Do Now?

What the Bible Says to the Jaded, Discouraged, and Worn Out

What the Bible Says to the Jaded, Discouraged, and Worn Out – “Christmas season is the season of joy, but it is also a time when the cumulative weight of all that has happened in the course of the year catches up with you.”