God With Us, Not Them
“And they shall call his name Immanuel (which means God with us).” With those words, Matthew the gospel writer reveals […]
Christmas
God’s Will Isn’t for You to Be Good
The greatest temptation for me is the desire to be good. We don’t often think about temptation and good in
How to Have a Merry Christmas
It’s what we all want. Little children sing it to us, “We wish you a merry Christmas.” We conclude our
Feeling Guilty About Where You’re Not
Jenny and I lived in Alabama when I was in graduate school. While I would never ordain our way as
Nobody’s Christmas is That Good
Even as I was living it, I realized it might go down as my favorite Christmas ever. It was better
A Guide to Surviving the Holidays with Your Family
In theory, it sounds wonderful–all the family gathered around the dinner table enjoying each other’s company at the holidays. In practice,
How Healthy Families Handle Holidays
It’s “the most wonderful time of the year” when many people dread spending time with their families. Few things reveal
14 Ways the Elf on the Shelf Might Die
I’ve always wondered what the signs of pastoral burnout might be. One pastor tells of his experience of going for
A True Picture of Justice and Grace
At times the concepts of justice and grace seem juxtaposed. We are supposed to value both but the two seem
God Shows Up In Unexpected Places
God is predictable in His unpredictability. There is a pattern seen through Scripture and highlighted at Christmas. God delights in