The uncontainable joy of forgiveness

Several years ago, right in the middle of singing a familiar worship song, God showed up in a remarkable way. My eight-year-old son was singing next to me. His attitude had not been the greatest, and mine could have used a few adjustments too. He was fidgeting, and I was trying hard to keep my thoughts in order for the message that … Read More

3 Ways to be Joyful During Difficulty

We live in dangerous times, but then I’m not telling you anything you don’t know already. School shootings, once rare, now happen with regularity. Bombings, that once happened elsewhere, now occur from Boston to Austin. Your news feed fills up with these alarming events within moments of their occurrence. The apostle Paul wrote to people in Macedonia during troubling times. … Read More

Learning to apply the work of the Spirit

One of the most helpful analogies I ever heard regarding the fruit of the Spirit was to think of the fruit of the Spirit as toolbox. Inside were tools for every situation. You wouldn’t send a hammer to do the job of screwdriver, nor would you attempt to saw a board with a wrench. Likewise, when you enter into challenging … Read More