rebelling against low expectations
Hope…. When the going gets tough, where do you place your hope? Or when life is great, and times are good, what makes you confident about the future? I want you to think about that for a moment – because today we’re going to be getting into a story about hope. Or, more accurately, misplaced hope. If you have a Bible, do me a favor and turn in it to the book of 1 Samuel, Chapter 4, verses 1-11...
I have seen an epidemic sweeping across our nation. It may not cause fevers, but it causes depression. It may not cause headaches, but it causes division. It may not cause sore throats, but it causes fake smiles. It may not call for a doctor visit, but it does call for revival. This is the epidemic of perfectionism. Ever since I was a child, I have been an overachiever. A perfectionist. I feared...
Jesus left the riches and purity of heaven to become flesh for us. He put it all aside, exchanging it for poverty and filth. Why would the King of kings do something so incredulous? It was because He had compassion on us in the midst of our hopeless depravity. He knew we were desperately poor—without any hint of true righteousness to our names. We have never had one good deed to rub together with...
December is here, and with it, an enormous amount of rich foods and idealistic Instagram posts. Christmas means icicle lights and Santa hats. Cute sweaters, gingerbread ice cream, and cozy evenings watching Elf. But for me, the holidays bring a harsh reality: I don’t live in that wonderland. The struggle is real this winter. And whether it’s family issues, learning how to live without...
Editor’s note: The Screwtape Letters is the title of a book by C.S. Lewis in which an older demon gives advice to a younger tempter through a series of letters. Needless to say, the advice given is exactly what we should guard against as Christians. This article is written in the style of a Screwtape letter, addressing the subject of teenagers. “The Enemy” refers to God, and...
I don’t want to read my Bible today. I promise I’ll do it tomorrow. This is a real temptation. I know because it has happened to me way too often. It’s shameful to admit that we often let our feelings drive us to deception and lack of wise judgement. Satan wants us to base our actions off of our feelings. He wants to lead us into thinking that because we don’t feel like...
Friends are one of the biggest influencers in our lives. They can be encouraging, uplifting, and supportive. On the flip side, they can also pressure us, make us feel uncomfortable, and even lead us to do wrong or illegal things. For us as Christians, it’s tremendously important that we surround ourselves with positive friends and influencers– people who won’t lead us away from God’s...
I climbed into bed Sunday night, discouraged before the week even started. The upcoming days were ripe with potential, but I was afraid of squandering them on unproductive activities. For the previous seven weeks, I had diligently chipped away at a college dual enrollment math course. The assignment deadlines had forced me to copiously manage my time. Now that the course was over, I was scared of...
Let me paint a picture here that will likely bring butterflies to many of our stomachs. Every Writer’s Dream! Lets say you’ve had this idea that has been brewing in your mind for some weeks now. An important truth that you finally wanted to take to the keyboard. So you do. You sit down in your favorite writing spot. The day is free of distractions. Your mind is clear. And your inspiration soars...
Christmas is a wonderful time of year filled with secret shopping trips for your family and friends, hot chocolate, tree decorating, snow (if you don’t live on the West Coast as I do), and beloved Christmas songs and carols. But all those things are not what Christmas is about. No, Christmas is more than the commercialism, and while the traditions are nice they are not the essence of...
rebelling against low expectations
