What to do when you’re feeling depressed? Read a hope-filled book. For the last four years or so, I’ve felt kind of overwhelmed. People being killed. So much lying and misinformation happening. Terrorist reports. Fears of white supremacy. Rogue police. Disagreements about water rights and climate control. Oil spills. Children without anyone to care for

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On December 25th, we typically celebrate Christ’s birth by giving presents to family and friends. How about, this year, giving God a present? Okay, what can you give to someone who really does have everything? The only answer I can think of is time. Time spent on doing something he’s asked us to do. Like

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Although it happened years ago, I’ll never forget the Sunday morning our pastor gave away a quarter for his children’s story. Our family was part of a small church plant meeting in a school gymnasium. At that point, there were only seven or eight young children. The pastor, an older man, always had a story

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According to all the studies I’ve read over the last 40 years, the typical churchgoer will never help another person enter into a meaningful relationship with God. Wow! How can that be? On second thought—maybe it’s not so hard to believe…. A co-worker has cancer, and you want to say you’ll pray for her, but—what

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I’ve often heard people say, “We have so many talented, capable people in this church, the church can’t help but grow.” Each time I hear those words, I cringe inside. Not because I don’t believe the church has been gifted with talented people. Most churches have. Many church members are college-educated people who are professionals

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How would you feel if your best friend walked up and handed you a list of things he/she wanted you to do, then left before you had a chance to say a word? You’d be just a bit annoyed, right? Yet, all too often, that’s exactly what our prayers are like. “Here God, this is

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I grew up believing in God, and knowing he was my best friend, but…. Because of my environment, a part of me felt that as long as I lived a “decent” life, without hurting other people or breaking laws, and as long as I went to church most Sundays, and read my Bible, and prayed,

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When you put up a website, in essence, it represents you. People who don’t know you personally see your site and come away with a lasting impression. For years, I’ve been trying to find a look and tag-line for my website that feels right to me. It’s not enough to give my name and what

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My dog and I were walking down the sidewalk as usual, her out in front leading the way, me working a little bit to keep up. Except for occasional times when she decided she just had to stop and sniff a fragrant tree, check out a suspicious walkway, or observe a patch of interesting grass,

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A year ago, I bought a small silver locket and asked God to give me a verse for the year. After praying for God to give me a verse, I more or less opened up my Bible at random and put my finger on a spot. It turned out to be Isaiah 30:15. “If you

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