Pursuing Our Passion, in Spite of Our Struggles
Faithful pursuit of our God-given purpose is rewarding, regardless of the outcome. Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had a lot of conversations with different people about writing. One author admitted to me that her perfectionism has kept her sitting on a manuscript for months instead of getting a pitch letter and proposal drafted. Another one said she was scared to write about her past, worried about how putting those stories out in the world would affect her relationship with her family. A third told me that she wanted to publish her book, but she was so [...]
Trusting God Amid War
Even when war rages, we can find comfort and hope in the Lord. Whenever I fast media for Lent, as I’m doing right now, major news tends to find its way to me. And it didn’t take long for someone to tell me about the current conflict in the Middle East. War, and all the tragedy that comes with it, breaks our hearts and crushes our spirits. It can seem impossible to have hope in such circumstances. However, we know that one day, life in this fallen world will end, and all conflicts and wars will cease. God [...]
Lead Us Not into Temptation
“And lead us not into temptation” —Matthew 6:13 Of course, I must know the five ways to stop stress in its tracks! I do need to know how to disable spyware on my phone! Ooh, I want to learn how to sleep through the night without having to go to the bathroom! A video of a cat chasing its tail? Yes, please! We’re in the middle of the third week of Lent, and I must tell you: YouTube has proven to be a huge stumbling block to my media fast this year. Part of the problem is that [...]
What Have I Gotten Myself Into?
Sometimes we simply need to “do the thing.” I often feel like the phrase “bite off more than you can chew” was invented specifically for me. Anyone who knows me is aware that I rarely have just one thing going on, whether a work project or hobby. For instance, I started last year with nine projects on my docket. By the end of the year, I had whittled that down to one, which was still plenty of work. And when I was deep in the throes of being a hobbyist, I accumulated quite a collection of beading, paper [...]
Thy Kingdom Come
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” —Matthew 6:10 Last week, I attended the 2026 National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention here in Nashville, Tennessee. I didn’t even know the event was taking place, but I was tipped off by a colleague in Boston. We were texting each other, and he said he was going to be in town for NRB, and it would be great to meet in person. “What’s NRB?” I texted. He told me, and I checked out the website. After exploring the site, including the presenters [...]
Giving Up to Gain
Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. —Daniel 9:3 It feels somewhat strange to say it, but I look forward to Lent every year. I look forward to a time of self-deprivation, fasting, and penitence? Yes, I do. As an unbeliever, when I was growing up, my understanding of Lent was that it was something Catholics did in the weeks leading up to Easter, and they weren’t allowed to eat meat on Fridays the whole time. They also gave up something, like chocolate, and [...]
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:13 Our society is obsessed with love. Songs, movies, and books abound on the topic. If we grow up immersed in pop culture, as I was, media portrayals of love can have a deep and abiding effect on our ideas about love. And many of those ideas can be warped, unhealthy, and altogether false. One example is the popular modern saying, “Love is love.” While that might make us feel good and like we ourselves are being loving when we say [...]
Protecting the Least of These
Children are a heritage from the Lord. I must be blunt when I say this: childhood sexual abuse is an extraordinarily prevalent evil in our world. In the United States alone, statistics indicate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys are victims of childhood sexual abuse. If these statistics are accurate, this means that anytime you’re having coffee with a few of your girlfriends, there’s a high probability that one of the women sitting at that table was sexually abused as a child. However, many experts believe—as do I—that the number of victims is probably [...]
Weathering the Storm
So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12 Last Friday, I wrote about the impending winter storm, which did turn out to be a doozy. Snow and sleet created treacherous conditions, destroying trees that blocked roads and downed power lines. Thousands of people were left without power, and some still don’t have it. Linemen are coming to the area from around the country, and we’re grateful for their willingness to help us in our time of need, as we are appreciative for everyone who’s serving others during this difficult [...]
Let It Snow?
To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven —Ecclesiastes 3:1 If the forecast proves accurate, we’re in for a doozy of a winter storm this weekend. I grew up in New York State, so I’m no stranger to snow and cold. In my hometown, with the lake-effect snow off of Lake Erie, it wasn’t unusual to go to bed with no snow and wake up unable to find your car. However, because such weather was common, snow days were rare. I have many memories of trudging to school with snow up past my [...]