We are all predisposed to respond to evil with evil. Over time, some of us may train our minds and hearts to respond with something else, but most often, our knee-jerk reaction is to throw more evil around…

I was making dinner and had vegetables laid out to wash. My youngest was four years old at the time. She has always been curious and asks a lot of questions. This evening, in particular, she picked up this ugly, dirty, brown ball, and as she asked…

Squinting at the shore, I didn't recognize my surroundings. None of the beach umbrellas looked familiar. Neither did any of the houses that lined the shore. Finally, after riding a wave in, I began to walk down the beach and continued to walk and walk and walk…

Be perfect, whew, no pressure, right? My initial reaction to this verse is a combination of frustration and defeat. No one is perfect; I can't live up to that! But the last part helps bring it into perspective for me…

Until a year ago, I drove a 2001 Ford Focus, so I didn't pay much attention to the tachometer. That gauge was irrelevant. When I turned on the ignition, I just hoped it started. 50MPH was about as fast as it went, and that's when it was coasting downhill…

If you’re like me, you had that friend growing up who always seemed to be the next level of better. For me, it was my “bestie.” Friends since the age of three, we were always together, doing the same things…

This encounter Jacob had with God is one of my favorite moments recorded in Scripture. A lot of us have wrestled with God. Some of us wrestled with God before we considered a relationship with Him. Others of us have wrestled even after spending years walking with God.  I hope you know that it is completely okay to wrestle with God about life…

In those moments of weakness, we've all wondered if change is indeed possible. Can something awkward ever become…

When he roamed around, Tucker, our family's ninety-pound labradoodle, didn't give me much space. He followed me closer than my own shadow. It didn't matter if it was the kitchen, living room, or even the bathroom (true story); wherever I went, he went. I would trip over him almost daily. Every time I turned around, I bumped into him…

Springtime for people in many places around the world causes the purging of worn-out things and the renewing of such with order and freshness. This cultural phenomenon known as “spring cleaning” can be a weighty responsibility…

Paul, who was Saul, was a man that despised Christians. He was on a mission to stop the message of Jesus Christ and was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen. But one day, Paul encountered Jesus, and everything changed…

To say my mom's parenting style involved hovering, nosiness, and being overbearing would be the understatement of the year. Scratch that...century. Let's just say she had trouble cutting the chord…

Strength is valued. Or, perhaps what’s more true, the appearance of strength is valued.

Some men are taught early on to suppress emotions because crying or showing hurt is a sign of weakness. Some women are taught early on to guard themselves because people are only out to take advantage…

"Tony...you're in." Wait, was I hearing things? My coach must surely be mistaken. I'm a bench warmer whose highlight most games involved the sundaes at McDonald's afterward…

I hope you will answer this with honesty: how do you respond when someone does you wrong? 

I love asking people who are not following Jesus this question because they will actually be honest. Those of us who follow Jesus tend to answer this with a little more buffer…

The other day I got sucked into watching YouTube videos. I regret wasting so much time clicking on random comedy clips, but it did lead me to one that, oddly enough, encompassed how we handle and attempt to make up for our mess…

Loving God includes loving people. It sounds simple and straightforward. I think we all agree that we SHOULD love everyone. But why do we often dismiss this and excuse ourselves when it’s hard…

We were having a blast at a house party thrown by my good friend, Jonathan. A few of us were getting up to no good, but with no parents around, we figured we were in the clear. And that's when it happened. It unfolded just like those cheesy 90's teen movies always do…

If you ever want to understand the depth of the Old Covenant, google random laws in Leviticus you think you might be breaking. I will go ahead and warn you, you’re probably breaking 2 or 3 at any given moment…

The law could never do for us what Christ did on the cross. If it could, then as Paul wrote above, Christ died for nothing. Here’s some truth about me: I’m a rule follower, especially when playing games. My sweet family tolerates me on game night…