Writing to Help You Find and Share the Hope of Jesus
In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Jesus shared a story of a servant who owed his king an impossible debt. Jesus said his debt was ten thousand talents (Matt 18:24). Now, one talent alone was an incredibly large amount. It was about twenty years wages for a typical laborer at that time. So 10,000 talents … Continue reading Our Impossible Debt
"But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."2 Thessalonians 3:3 In C.S. Lewis’ Prince Caspian, Peter, Edward, Susan, and Lucy returned to Narnia for the first time since their adventure in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, only to find Narnia being ruled by an evil … Continue reading Faithful ≠ Predictable
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kindsJames 1:2 There are many ways Jesus has called his followers to live differently than the rest of the world. Just a few examples include: Live holy lives as our Father in heaven is holy (Matt. 5:48, 1 Peter 1:15), Live for God’s … Continue reading From Facts in Our Heads to Treasure in Our Hearts: God’s Joy-Producing Work In Our Trials
“O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.”Psalm 130:7 Hope is often discussed, yet just as often underappreciated. We preach it and sing about it. But we don’t usually realize it’s power and our need for it when times are good. Comfort tends … Continue reading The Thrill of Hope: What Produces Hope? And What Does Hope Produce?
My family and I are heading up to northern Minnesota on Saturday for a week-long vacation. The past few weeks I’ve tried to think through what it means to rest well on vacation. Here are five thoughts to help me (and maybe you) honor God by resting well on vacation. Actually Rest From Your Work … Continue reading Believe and Rest: Five Thoughts On Resting Well On Vacation
In my part of the world (rural Minnesota), we are now over a month into this COVID-19 crisis that has gripped much of the world for even longer. If you haven’t been paying attention over the past month, then you’ve likely missed some important information. Because one thing a crisis will reveal to us is … Continue reading Faith at Work in a Crisis
During the eight years we lived in Pierre, SD, one of the things that captivated us about the area was the beauty of the Missouri River. Whenever we drove back to Pierre from visiting family in Minnesota, we were excited when the long, flat, five-hour drive was finally interrupted by beautiful rolling hills and the … Continue reading From Drought to Flood
Yesterday I finished reading The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. This insightful book provides an intimate look at British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, his family, and his cabinet during the German bombings, or “Blitz”, of England prior to the United States’ entry into World War II. One of Churchcill’s most remembered traits, of … Continue reading The Right Words for the Right Moment
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.Hebrews 6:19 This morning I had a great opportunity to talk about hope with a group of teenage boys at Prairie Lakes Youth Programs. With Hebrews 6:19 in mind, I talked about how … Continue reading Anchor of the Soul
A Thrill of Hope 