Have you ever noticed what happens when you focus on the negative things in your life? The heartaches or the disappointments? If you’re like me, your focus turns inward after a while, and suddenly, every aspect of life is tainted with negativity, and giving thanks seems impossible. You might struggle to find anything to give thanks for. While we need to acknowledge that life is hard and take time to process the things weighing us down, we also need to not be consumed by them. Believe me, I know that’s often easier said than done. When we lose a loved one, get a diagnosis, or bear the burdens of those…

Whether you’re a newlywed or have been married for decades, there is always room for growth in your marriage. One way to achieve growth is to meet with another married couple regularly. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” In other words, we need each other. Engaging in mentorship with another married couple can be highly beneficial as you each bring your unique needs and gifts to the table. Join me in exploring seven benefits of marriage mentorship. 1. Mentorship Can Breed…

Mother’s Day was the brainchild of a woman named Anna Jarvis. After her mother died in 1905, Anna wanted a way to honor her mother’s sacrifices for her children. Thus began her campaign for Mother’s Day, which President Woodrow Wilson officially established as a national holiday in 1914. This holiday, which was established with good intentions, has turned into a day of mixed emotions. I’ve seen these emotions displayed each year as church leaders strive to celebrate mothers while being sensitive to those who are not. As your church begins preparation for Mother’s Day, I encourage you to pray for your church leaders as they navigate these waters. If you’ve…

Every spring, a familiar discussion arises amongst Christians. This discussion concerns a bunny, plastic eggs, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you’ve ever wondered how to (or even if you should) involve the Easter Bunny and a candy-filled basket in your resurrection celebration, you’re not alone. Rather than try and persuade you one way or the other, I’d like to touch on some of the reasons other brothers and sisters have decided to or not to partake. Hopefully, this will help you make a clear conscience decision for your family or, at the very least, give you some common language to discuss this topic with others lovingly.…

The Bible only tells us so much about Heaven. It’s a mystery that has yet to be revealed. And while so much about Heaven is left up to the imagination, I’m confident that even the most imaginative minds can’t touch the splendor that awaits us. We wonder about everything from how old we’ll appear to be to what language we’ll speak. Will the streets really be paved with gold? Can we really be rejoicing for eternity when people we love aren’t there? The questions and wonders about Heaven are endless. I explore the question, “Will I recognize my spouse in Heaven?” in this article at Crosswalk.com.

Perhaps you’re buying your first home, or maybe you’re moving after a divorce or the death of a spouse. Maybe you’re downsizing as you get older or need more space because your family is growing. Whatever your reason, we know that all good gifts come from the Lord (James 1:17), and a roof over your head is indeed a gift. Because change can be both exhilarating and challenging, what better way to start this new chapter of your life than to walk through your new home and pray over it as you move from room to room? May the following prayers help guide you as you talk with the Lord.…

It happened in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina. It happened in 2011 with the tornado “Super Outbreak”. And now we’re watching it happen in Texas with Hurricane Harvey. With each natural disaster that has ravaged America’s communities, believers and nonbelievers alike have been left asking, “Why, God?”. In the aftermath of disaster and doubt, here are 5 powerful things Beth Ann Baus invites us to remember: 1. We live in a broken world. The Bible tells us that when sin entered the world, all of nature was cursed. Because of this, death is a promised component of this life and, to put it simply, bad things happen.  Before the fall of man, the…

Grief is one of the most difficult aspects of life on this earth. The longer we live, the more sorrow we will likely experience. And while there is a likeness to all grief, there is a uniqueness to grieving the loss of someone who dies by suicide. Many refer to grieving suicide as “ambiguous loss.” This is because suicide often leaves the surviving loved ones full of questions that will never be answered. The abundance of questions and the lack of answers leaves the survivors in unresolved grief. If you, like me, have lost a loved one to suicide, please know there is healing to be found in the tender…

Most of us would admit that when our emotions get the best of us, we say things we don’t mean. Other times, we say exactly what we mean but we don’t choose our words carefully and end up implying something that just isn’t true. This offense seems particularly common when a person dies, something I know to be true from personal experience. Grief is mentally and physically exhausting. We should all be quick to extend grace to someone in mourning, especially when they say something unkind or untrue. Grief can create a gaping hole in our verbal filters. It can also skew our sense of reality, causing us to say…