Swallow Your Pride And Tell The Truth — About Everything
If you become honest, yeah, you’ll lose some friends. There are folks who don’t want to associate with the imperfect. Say a prayer of thanks when they leave. Those are friends you’re better off without. Their departure is the Lord’s blessing on you. The happy paradox is that as you become real, as scary as that can be, you meet a battalion of kindred souls. Other scarred and messy people — they are legion — will be drawn to you.
The Most Beautiful Questions to Ask God
My favorite way to start a conversation with God is simply this, ‘Hi,’ and then pause. Rather than fill the space with noise and opinion, I want to be open to his direction. I want to turn where he wants me to turn.
Who’s at Your Table?
More than money and opportunity, the people in our lives — our family, friends, colleagues, even our casual acquaintances — are among the most precious gifts God will ever give us. Do you know that?
‘The Promised Land’ tells Moses’ story in the style of ‘The Office’
“The Promised Land” leans into the irony baked into the biblical narrative, using the “mockumentary” style made famous by hits like “The Office,” “Parks and Rec” and “Abbott Elementary.” The pilot episode features Moses dealing with every absurd complaint the Israelites bring to him.
Faith Can Help Heal Our Polarized Country
We are living in an era plagued by political, religious and social unrest. The barrage of headlines continually erodes our confidence in our national leadership and unravels the ties that bind our local communities together. Despite the tools we have to increase mutual engagement, our society is profoundly disconnected, and instead of promoting understanding, the isolation and competition these technologies seem to promote have affected our mental health.
Walk Slow, Go Easy, Love Well
Maybe we can take a deep breath and slow down a bit, knowing we have eternity to experience all the things we want to experience and accomplish all the things we want to accomplish. Maybe we can take a deep breath and notice more of God’s presence in our world. And maybe we can learn to walk slow, go easy, and love well.
The Daily Office: Morning and Evening Prayer
The Daily Office is an ancient practice that uses daily prayers to mark the times of the day. For Anglicans, this generally comes in the form of the two main offices of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Together, these prayers offer a way to shape our days and remind us who we are — created, known, and loved by God, people whose work is prayer. They allow us to move closer to Scripture’s encouragement to “pray without ceasing.”
In Quitting Church, We Give Up More Than We Think
It is difficult — really, next to impossible — to practice Christianity effectively without becoming (and staying) an active member of a local church congregation. Private spirituality is vital, of course, and underpins the communal life of any religious group. Hats off to the desert fathers, those legendary hermits of yore. Still, faith is mainly a team sport.
Faith-Based Animated Series ‘Fleur De Lis’ Innovates With Humor And AI
Regardless of concerns about AI, “Fleur de Lis” remains an entertaining show that is worth watching and supporting for people who want entertainment based deeply in a Christian imagination and who also want the content to be authentically dramatic and funny.
The Lost Art of Intentionality
Efficiency is portrayed as the consummate modern virtue. Get up early, go to bed late, multitask, double-book, manage your time and juggle more. We’re masters of efficiency, but we’ve lost our souls.
AI’s Future Impact On The Church
A sense of unease begins to take root. Interactions feel hollow, conversations lack depth and relationships become superficial and transactional. The more we rely on AI, the more we find ourselves yearning for something it cannot provide: authenticity, meaning and opportunities to connect on a fundamentally human level. This is where the church reenters the scene, not as a relic of the past, but as a symbol of the present, a sanctuary of authenticity. At this tipping point of artificiality and superficiality, people start craving transcendent values that algorithms cannot encode.
A Primer on “The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis
“The Screwtape Letters” by C. S. Lewis, published in 1942, is an imagined peek into the spiritual world, both humorous and frightful. Since its publication in 1942, this classic has resonated deeply with readers worldwide. The book’s enduring popularity stems from its unique format, engaging narrative, and witty and accessible approach to complex theological concepts.
The More You See of Jesus, The More You Become Like Jesus
The Holy Spirit is seeking to project an endless reel of the glory of Jesus onto our hearts so that we live for him in the increasing complexity and mess of life.
Weary From the Road?
Our human hearts ache so dearly for home. We pour out our lives looking and looking for it, trying to locate a place we know in our hearts we’re made for. But we remain vagabonds until we begin to view even our physical abodes as no more than temporary refuges providing respite from the pilgrim’s road — guest houses along the way — places where we live for a while and love a lot but are never our final destinations.
A Primer on Every Moment Holy” — Liturgy for the Ordinary
Finding moments of sacredness can seem challenging in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. “Every Moment Holy” by Douglas McKelvey — author, songwriter, and creative thinker — offers a refreshing perspective, reminding believers that every moment, no matter how mundane, can be infused with divine significance.
A Primer On A Timeless Classic: “My Utmost for His Highest”
For over a century, “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers has been a beacon of spiritual insight and inspiration for Christians worldwide. This daily devotional, first published in 1927, continues to draw readers closer to God with its profound reflections and timeless wisdom.
A Primer on Dwell: Transforming Bible Engagement by Immersive Listening
In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to sit down and read the Bible can be challenging. Enter the Dwell app, a revolutionary tool designed to help believers engage with Scripture in a meaningful and accessible way. Launched in 2018, Dwell transforms the traditional Bible experience into an immersive audio journey, making it easier than ever to incorporate God’s Word into daily life.
A Primer on “The Chosen” — The Groundbreaking Streaming Series
“The Chosen” has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. The multi-season television series has set a new standard for faith-based media. It offers a fresh and humanizing perspective on the story of Jesus, focusing on His interactions with a diverse group of people who were deeply impacted by their encounters with Him.
Learning to Serve Like Jesus
Serving like Jesus requires that we open ourselves up to the destruction of our schedule. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we see the priest and the Levite cross the road to avoid the robbed man. Maybe they wanted to avoid trouble or maybe they had a legitimate place they needed to be. Either way, both of them passed up an opportunity to take care of the man lying on the side of the road. It was the Samaritan that demonstrated true love and service by allowing himself, his schedule, and his pocketbook to be disrupted.
Just How Little We Know
Whether you’re religious or nonreligious, educated or untutored, smart as a whip or dumb as a crate of gravel, the universe of things you don’t know dwarfs the pitiful dollhouse of things you do. The mistakes you’ve made outnumber the correct conclusions you’ve reached. You realize you’re a cipher floating on a dust mote swirling in an infinite darkness. Humility should be your natural state.