Resources for restoration
A Solution for Our Loneliness
I recently read a thought-provoking article in the Boston Globe that said the biggest threat facing men as they age isn’t obesity, smoking, etc.; it’s loneliness. The article went on to say loneliness has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Personal Growth
Pain and Joy in the Family of God
Church is hard for a lot of people. Yes, there are those great moments we all have when we think, “This is it, this is what the Body of Christ is supposed to be!” But often it’s not like that. I go to a truly wonderful church, and yet occasionally a Sunday morning can feel to me like a college philosophy class.
Christian Perspectives
Being Human Like Jesus
What exactly did Jesus come to do? This question goes to the very heart of our faith as Christians, and we could rightfully answer this in several ways. The gospel message is about God’s good news for sinners, how God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit has freed His people from the power and penalty of sin and death. The gospel shows us how sinful people can be made right with the holy God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the only Redeemer of the world.
Groaning Into Our Adoption
In general, it doesn’t seem hard for us to believe in our head that we are God’s children, but we often have time accepting it and acting like it. In a world where we experience things like rejection, loss and heartache we often learn to protect ourselves from others instead of getting close to them.
Spiritual Life
Inviting God Into Your Anxious Thoughts
I commonly get asked whether the number of people I’m meeting with over the last 2 years due to COVID has increased significantly. Many of us who work as counselors would readily say the number has greatly increased and, indeed, it is likely due to the increased stress and anxiety the pandemic.
Giving Up Control of Your Adult Children
One of the hardest adjustments in parenting is giving up control of adult kids while still loving them and staying closely attached. It’s difficult to watch anyone make choices that may bring hurt and chaos. With your own children, this can be terrifying, like, driving-down-a-crowded-interstate-in-the-passenger-seat-with-nobody-at-the-wheel-terrifying.
Relationship & Family
The Meaning of Jesus’ Tears and Our Own
Jesus wept. It’s the shortest verse in all the Bible, found about halfway through one of the most well-known stories of the Bible, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John chapter eleven. But in these two short words, God teaches us some of the most profound truths in all the Scriptures about the meaning of grief.
Being Firm in Faith
In Peter’s epistle we read the words, “Reist him, firm in faith.” He wrote his letter to believers in Asia Minor who were experiencing persecution. He is teaching them how to endure through suffering. When he says, “resist him” he is talking about Satan who tries to pounce on us when we are in the middle of difficulty.
Institutions Can't Provide What We Ultimately Need...Redemption
Never in our lives have institutions been such a part of shaping the way we live, think, and discuss issues. We are in the midst of a global pandemic and are affected by institutionally required quarantines, social distancing, wearing of protective masks in public, and many more mandates.