Children tend to know a whole lot more than we think they do. However, what is not obvious to them (and to us) is where to place our hope. We need real, reliable hope—hope that is more glorious and more certain than the promise of dessert if you eat all your supper. One my favorite theologians, Herman Bavinck, said, "This is a world full of humor, laughter mixed with tears, existing in the sign of the cross, and given immediately after the fall to Christ, the Man of sorrows, that he might ... [keep reading]

Two years ago I found myself teaching the 4–6 year-old Sunday school class at church. I can’t remember what lesson I taught that day. But I do remember teaching the kids a little trick to help them remember the message of the gospel. I asked the kids, “What is the gospel?” To answer that question, I taught them to stoop low with a closed fist and slowly whisper, “Jesus . . . died . . . for . . . our . . . sins . . .” unfolding one finger for each word so that by the end of the sentence each ... [keep reading]

When I first started my healthy-living journey, my goal was to attain happiness by having the perfect body. (In other words, I started an unhealthy-living journey.) My motivation was not to become fit, body and soul. Here I thought I was aiming for the ultimate achievement, but I was actually aiming too low. Standards that feed and strengthen the spirit are far higher than earthly standards! If we want to be happy standing in front of the mirror, it has little to do with what we see with our ... [keep reading]

Popular messages in faith-based circles tell us that we should slow down, rest, and care for our souls. On the other hand, the world is shouting at us to do more, be more, have more. As believers, how do we balance God’s model for work and rest with the passions and talents He’s given us? In my book Holy Hustle: Embracing a Work-Hard, Rest-Well Life, I take readers on an encouraging journey to discover how the right mix of hard work and the right kind of rest add up to blessings that just ... [keep reading]

You keep track of all my sorrows.You have collected all my tears in your bottle.You have recorded each one in your book.Psalm 56:8 NLT Sometimes the world doesn’t see your pain. Sometimes you grieve and suffer in silence. Long after the diagnosis, the divorce, the funeral, or the first waves of depression, you find yourself still hurting and hopeless. You wonder why nobody has noticed that you’re still not healed, you’re still not happy, you’re still not okay. My husband, Chris, often ... [keep reading]