If you have kids and know how they make all sorts of requests, then you’ll also know the favorite parental answer: “Maybe; we’ll see.” When one of our sons was four and received this reply, he said to my wife, “Just say, ‘Yes,’ mom—that’s much better.” Yet saying “No,” often feels like better parenting. I find myself occupied with protecting my kids from whatever might harm them. We’re vigilant...
While “Help Wanted” signs dot the landscape, there are no volunteers in higher demand than in our Sunday morning children’s ministry. Ask any children’s ministry director to list their top three needs, and they are sure to say, “We could use a few more volunteers.” If your ministry is like ours, it seems every time we get a new worker or two, someone else is leaving our team. But rather than be...
Did you know that honesty and truth telling are part of living a blessed life (Psalm 34:12–13)? But we still lie. Why is that? Often it’s because we want to hide something. “I don’t want you to see this”—is the logic of most lies. Those who lie usually believe they have done something wrong; or they believe someone will be displeased with what they have done, or both. The wrong might be...
The person you are going to meet with may be older than you. Or younger than you. Perhaps they are from a different part of the country—or from another country. It may be a spouse in distress or a person who is contemplating a major life decision. Given the vast differences in people and situations, no single approach always applies the first time you sit down with someone to offer help. Even so...
Admittedly, this question may have caught you off guard. But let’s walk into it. Forgiveness is beautiful. It makes for a great theme in movies or novels. Forgiveness is central to the gospel. We all need forgiveness and long to know that our faults will not define us. But it’s worth asking, what part of forgiveness is beautiful? The answer is, the last part. The early and middle parts of...
