Family drama. None of your families have drama, right? Yeah, mine neither. (I hope you don’t believe that.) Actually, family drama is the stuff of life. We all have it. Think about all the words we use to describe it. Some of you might remember the classic line from the sitcom Friends, “We were onContinue reading “Do you have family drama? Characters – Joseph, Part 1”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Be determined in God’s direction – Characters: Jacob, Part 5
I love the picture above. Having done a good bit of running myself, I am always amazed at people who keep at into their older years. My grandfather participated in the Senior Games into his 90s, winning speed walking events. That is the picture of determination. In this series of posts we’ve been following theContinue reading “Be determined in God’s direction – Characters: Jacob, Part 5”
Why we need to wrestle with God – Characters: Jacob, Part 4
In this series, we’ve been looking at a character in the Hebrew Bible, a guy named Jacob. In the previous post, we left Jacob about to cross over the border of his brother, Esau’s land. He had deceived his brother 20 years before, and when Esau found out, Esau threatened to kill Jacob. Jacob fledContinue reading “Why we need to wrestle with God – Characters: Jacob, Part 4”
God can still use you after you sin? Characters: Jacob, Part 3
Have you ever messed up and thought, I’ve ruined my life? Maybe it was a mistake a work. Maybe it was a terrible relationship choice. You might have been selfish or unkind with what you said to a family member or friend, and now things between you are cold. Are you wondering if there isContinue reading “God can still use you after you sin? Characters: Jacob, Part 3”
Birthright & Blessing (or ripping off your siblings) – Characters: Jacob, Part 2
I have a family member who love to joke about ripping off his siblings by selling them stuff at prices higher than he purchased the items for. He’s actually a loving brother. But sibling rivalry is so common. How have you experienced it in your family? As we continue reading the story of Jacob andContinue reading “Birthright & Blessing (or ripping off your siblings) – Characters: Jacob, Part 2”
Introducing “Characters” – a series about how flawed people can still be used by God – Characters: Jacob, Part 1
Who in your life would you say is a real character? Usually we say a person is a character when they are wild, crazy, bold, extroverted, or humorous. Maybe certain people in your life come to mind. But the reality is that every single one of us is a character. We are each made inContinue reading “Introducing “Characters” – a series about how flawed people can still be used by God – Characters: Jacob, Part 1″
“Radical Forgiveness” with Jonas Beiler and Joel Kime (Youth Culture Matters: A CPYU Podcast)
Thanks to my friends at the Center for Parent Youth Understanding, as they recently had me on a guest panel for an episode of their podcast. In light of Botham Jean’s brother forgiving Amber Guyger, Walt Mueller asked me to be on the CPYU podcast. It was really interesting hearing Jonas Beiler talk about hisContinue reading ““Radical Forgiveness” with Jonas Beiler and Joel Kime (Youth Culture Matters: A CPYU Podcast)”
Mercy for those who doubt – Jude 17-25, Part 5
“Be merciful to those who doubt.” Interesting phrase, isn’t it? So often we conceive of doubt as a negative thing to be avoided, and the result can be that people who doubt are considered to be sinful or strange. But is doubt wrong? As we conclude our two-week study through the letter of Jude, weContinue reading “Mercy for those who doubt – Jude 17-25, Part 5”
Keep yourself in God’s love – Jude 17-25, Part 4
“Keep yourself in God’s love.” That really sounds like a religious or spiritual thing to say, right? What comes to your mind when you read that line? In this series of posts, we have been studying some phrases that Jude writes in an ancient letter to his Christian friends. It seems that Jude is writingContinue reading “Keep yourself in God’s love – Jude 17-25, Part 4”
How to pray in the Spirit – Jude 17-25, Part 3
What is prayer like for you? Do you spend much time praying? And when you pray, what do you actually do? How much do you talk? How much do you listen? As we continue our series through Jude 17-25, we’re learning how to be ready for Jesus to return, and the next practice Jude teachesContinue reading “How to pray in the Spirit – Jude 17-25, Part 3”
Engaging Scripture 