It was Christmas Day circa 1997. I picked up the present and the weight of the package indicated the importance of what I was unwrapping. As I ripped off the paper, I discovered that I had finally gotten a cell phone! I couldn’t wait to tell my friends. I would finally be in the club. Many teenagers today have shared in this excitement. Whether it’s a birthday, Christmas, or “just because,”...
Boredom, complaining, and ingratitude often go hand in hand. Helping your child overcome these bad attitudes involves two things—seeing the wonder and goodness of what God has created and trusting the forgiveness we have in Jesus. When a child feels bored, they’re often being passive or just plain lazy. They want to enjoy having something fun, new, or entertaining served to them without work or...
How can I write in a few words the thoughts of my heart when it is full of longing and anticipation for Jesus and His Kingdom? It isn’t just because I just watched the coronation of King Charles. It was awesome, full of pageantry, music, singing, commitment, marching with men and women from every walk of life. I think it’s because the whole ceremony reminded me of Jesus: King Charles wore a heavy...
Do you get anxious when you have to make a decision? Do you tend to overthink, overtalk, and overanalyze? When anxiety surrounds every decision, the result can be decision-making paralysis. In Anxious about Decisions: Finding Freedom in the Peace of God, counselor Michael Gembola explores this common struggle and then points to the peace that comes from knowing God as a refuge and ever-present...
Can God work through physical things? This question may give us some pause. Whether or not we can immediately articulate why, we sense a trap. On one hand, we worry that an affirmative answer could be a slippery slope to validating superstition. Christianity is not a faith of holy talismans or items that can wield the power of God. We believe that there is one mediator between...
