Although many good things came out of 2019, there was also a massive rise in tragic events, and in particular, the rates of suicide. In New Zealand, where I’m from, over the past year, suicide statistics have increased drastically. It appears people are feeling more helpless and alone in this world than ever. In cases of suicide, families are left broken and grieving and so for many, the new year brings painful reminders of the previous year’s tragedies.
Read MoreI was a young Christian and dutiful to follow the Christian checklist exactly. I glued my eyes to the page. I read this verse with all my might and slowly, so that I would not miss one single word of it. But however hard I tried to read and get it in my head, I could not seem to understand it with my heart.
Read MoreThere is a section of 2 Kings that I came across, and I think the truths expounded in that saga are not unlike the truths we need to hear now. We are all learning how to live with a living God. It’s easy to live life when God is distant, ancient, and silent. But, that is not who God is, and in 2 Kings 18-19, we find two kings learning what it means to live with a living God.
Read MoreAnyone else find the word "theology" intimidating? Please, speak up if you do. I can't be the only one, right? Yes, I know, I write about what I learn from the Bible all the time and I lead a Christian online magazine where we talk about God and the Bible, but if anyone brings theology or theological concepts into the conversation, I panic. It feels way out of my depth. I've even debated going to seminary just to avoid having that feeling.
Read MoreAlycia goes back to the beginning of her journey that lead her to start a home for teenage pregnant women and new moms in Wisconsin.
Read MoreGoal setting used to be easier for me, back when my life track was a little more clear: get into college, graduate from college, get into law school, graduate from law school, get a job, get promoted, get a different job that aligns more with my personal priorities ... I checked all those life milestones. Now what? Because being unmarried in my late twenties feels a bit like an unknown path.
Read MoreWe’ve all heard the following phrase in some form. Maybe we’ve even said it ourselves: “Life happens and it isn’t always fair.”
Read MoreDoes anyone else follow news of the British Royal Family? Even if you don’t, you've probably seen the news that the Duke ("Prince Harry") and Duchess of Sussex ("Meghan Markle") issued a statement that they intend to "step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family.” So, what does this have to do with us as Christians?
Read MoreMy husband and I have a dream and a vision. Something we’ve prayed about, dreamed about, and talked about for hours on end. We were moving forward in the initial steps of this God-given dream with support from the right people, which included confirmations all along the way that God was about to fulfill what He placed in our hearts.
Read MoreSometimes, faith in God seems so amazingly complicated. Have you ever paused for a moment and wondered if you were really leading a Christian life? I have and, even worse, there have been times after these kinds of pauses when I wasn’t so sure my belief was strong enough.
Read MoreAs a society, we are always promoting our best for ourselves. However, these self-centered statements like “being my best self,” “being the best version of me,” or “ I am living my best life” can end up hurting ourselves and others. This happens when we interpret these phrases with the idea that we do it by ourselves, which is not a sustainable way to live. When I see these “best” phrases, there are two ways they potentially affect people's lives.
Read MoreBefore you can even think about 2020, you have to get your head around what 2019 has meant to you.
Read MoreWe checked our analytics and rounded up our 10 most-read articles of the year (can you sense a theme?!):
Read MoreI always have mixed feelings when I look back over my photo collection from the past decade. Facebook always seems to be able to pick out and share some good times that are memorable moments to remember. I love to reminisce over all the wonderful changes that have taken place in my life and I feel blessed to see how far I have come. On the other hand, I have to admit, I also feel a twinge of sadness.
Read MoreThe holidays are a time of joy, family, celebrating, Hallmark movies, and Christmas magic. But it can also be a time that tries my patience like no other. Holiday traffic, crowded shopping malls, long lines at the post office, trying to find a parking spot at the grocery store, crazy family drama - the list goes on and on. Pretty soon, I’m exhausted and cranky, snapping at the checkout girl or stressing about a gift I still need to get. I can turn into quite the Scrooge if I’m not careful.
Read MoreHe sat at a family-sized table alone, pouring all of his attention into the study Bible opened before him. I imagined that the baked potato sitting at his side grew colder by the second and wondered if it felt neglected by his lack of interest in it. I sat enjoying my own meal and as I watched his fixed attention on the wrinkled pages before him, my curiosity only grew. The questions became a pile in my head and before I knew it my two legs were bee-lining me to the lonely man. It was only as I stood before him that I realized I had no plan.
Read MoreI hadn’t expected to be able to sit down with her and talk. But the longer we sat there at the table, the more of her life story she poured out. I realized I’d judged her too harshly and not asked the right questions. I fiercely wished that I had checked up on her in the past to make sure she was okay after seeing signs of depression.
Read More“Comparison is the thief of joy” - I tell myself this often, and while there is truth to that statement, there’s also value in looking back to other, harder times in our lives and comparing the past to today’s victories. When I compare my life to where I was 5 years ago, I rejoice at what God has done for me.
Read MoreIf you see me at work in the month of December, you will find me wearing a Christmas sweater and listening to Christmas music in my office. But let's be honest, I have been listening to Christmas music since October. Yes, I am one of those people. I love the way Christmas, and everything that goes with it, makes me feel better.
Read MoreI have so many friends who are hurting right now. I also know of many more — thanks to social media — people who I feel like I know in real life. It’s hard to know what to do or say when people I love go through hard things, and I never want to be insensitive to what they’re going through. Here are a few ways you can support someone who is hurting this holiday season:
Read More
![Do Women Need Theology? [NEW SERIES]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bf4340770e8026f5a08fd46/1579145105261-U51TTVL09NHSOMQ76FMY/radu-marcusu-mbKApJz6RSU-unsplash.jpg)
