Jesus taught spiritual truths with real-life stories. As a parent, grandparent, or Sunday School teacher, you have probably read these stories hundreds of times. Have you ever noticed how many of Jesus’s parables are about seeds, plants, and growth? These stories are more than just tips for a past agricultural age—they are rich lessons for us today. The parables teach us how to water, feed, and...
The recent events in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas continue to break our hearts. It is so important that we help our young people know how to make sense out of the brokenness of the world we live in. Consider how you can talk about these things with your family. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who are touched by such events. The threat of danger impacts our children on...
As Trent was growing up, it soon became apparent that he was both academically and athletically gifted. Teachers and coaches loved him because he worked hard and excelled in both his studies and sports. He was a model student and a leader in his chosen sports of basketball and soccer. Trent was an obedient son and made his parents proud. Yet Trent was rarely satisfied. Any grade below an A was...
To be human is to be afraid. We are small; the world is big. Though we make plans, follow through on decisions, and feel like we have some say-so, we can’t control even the most trivial events. Amass enough money to keep creditors at bay, then death comes knocking at your door. Lock the door to secure all your belongings, then rust and decay steal your fortune from within. Neither is there any...
Long before the birth of modern psychology and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, there was an understanding of narcissism. According to Greek myth, Narcissus was a handsome youth with a heart inaccessible to love. One of his rejected lovers prayed to Nemesis (the goddess who dealt out retribution for those who succumbed to arrogance) and asked that she would punish...
