by Morgan Krueger I look in the mirror, noticing the fine lines on my forehead that seem to be a little more prominent after a day of meetings, mothering, crying, laughing, and making only God knows how many silly faces to get a laugh out of my two boys. I step a little closer to my reflection to see if the lines are really as “bad” as they look from where I’m standing. They’re not . . . they’re worse. My husband, Ryan, calls out to me from the kitchen for a helping hand, s

by John Bevere If we look at Jesus’ return through the perspective of a single event rather than through the eyes of God’s glorious master plan, we’ll lack the eager expectation that enables us to stay diligent in our obedience to the end. We are vulnerable—easy prey for distraction, discouragement, or deception. God drew up this master plan for His kingdom before time began. There are numerous Scripture passages i confirming this truth, one being Isaiah 46:9–10 (ESV):

by Kyle Idleman and Mark E. Moore Ask most people what Christ means, and they’ll probably tell you it’s Jesus’ last name. As if Jesus had been born to Mary and Joseph Christ in Bethlehem and eventually started the religion that bears his family name. But Christ isn’t a last name; it’s a Greek title that means “Anointed One,” or “Messiah” in Hebrew. Somewhere between the first century and today, we’ve forgotten what that title actually means. When the first followers of

by Crickett Keeth What comes to mind when you hear the phrase, a life that matters ? • Financial wealth? • Material possessions? • Great achievements? It is so much more than that. The best investment we can make during our time on earth, in addition to our own spiritual health, is investing in the lives of others. But what does that look like? How do we spur others on to become all God created them to be? How do we live a life worth emulating and one that continues to ha

by Jayna Breigh I have given talks about child-rearing and time management at a halfway house that my church supports. The entrance requirement for women is that they are recovering from substance addiction. Some are sent straight from jail as a condition of their release. Each hour of their day is structured. Devotions, chores, classes, meals, more chores, and group sessions. Every moment programmed and measured to provide firm guardrails which will lead to graduation and

by Jessie Fioritto The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” LAMENTATIONS 3:19–24 NLT Heavenly Father, sometimes our hopes are d

by Ava Pennington It happened again. I found myself in a situation with a person who was difficult to get along with every time we interacted. Each time I entered the situation determined to be more patient, I failed miserably. So I berated myself and determined to try harder the next time. I needed more patience. I wanted more patience. But the outcome was a constant cycle of failure. If the fruit of the Spirit is promised to every Christian, then why do so many believ

by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth Before I was born, my parents dedicated me to the Lord and purposed to teach me (and the six other children...

by Ashley Armijo Have you ever felt so overwhelmed and exhausted that you couldn’t catch your breath? That was me in college. I was...

by Elizabeth Brady In 1990-91 I served as a short-term missionary in Burkina Faso, West Africa, in a bush village called Fada N’Gourma,...

by Glenna Marshall In the middle of the Bible, near the end of Psalms, we find the answers to our questions about God’s love for us....

by Donna Snow When the Lord commissioned Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, it was no small assignment. Moses was...

by Robin Thomson “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be...

by Grace Fox Sooner or later, we all experience a hard place in life where we feel lonely, weary, or scared. Our human bent dislikes and...

by Henry O. Arnold In the early years of my theatre training, I read Christopher Marlowe’s play Dr. Faustus . It was one of my first...

by Becky Thompson The truth is, when life has been a lot and your heart has carried so much, it can be hard to feel safe or settled...

by Lynn Cowell What is your first thought when I say: God is your good father? For some, immediately we agree. God is kind, attentive,...

by Nicolet Bell The forecast was less than promising. The outdoor ceremony was scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m., the same time the...

by Laura L. Smith Henri Nouwen, renowned theologian and psychologist, said the world determines who we are by 1. what we have and ...

by Whitney Newby On a crisp October day in 2012, we brought our first baby home from the hospital. As I cradled him in my arms, I was...