Most Christians rarely or never fast. It is simply not a part of our cultural milieu. The reasons are obvious. Fasting is hard. It’s unpleasant and inconvenient. It shakes us out of our normal routine. Plus, many of us haven’t been taught why we should fast or when. I learned just how uncomfortable fasting can …
As Christians, confession is a fundamental aspect of our faith. From the time we are little tikes, we are taught that it is one of the ABCs of salvation–admit, believe, confess. Though almost all of us give our intellectual assent to this core principle, as with many other things, we are much less inclined to …
If you are anything like me, sometimes your spiritual life just stalls out. Church feels like going through the motions, your quiet times are having little to no impact, God seems far away, and you certainly do not feel like you are growing in the faith. While I do believe that the vibrancy of our …
In recent weeks, I have been pondering the topic of submission—specifically, a Christian wife’s calling to submit to her husband. Though I have heard the topic mentioned in passing throughout my years in the church, I cannot say I have ever heard this topic truly expounded upon. And there is reason for that—it is not a particularly popular or “culturally relevant” …
If you are reading this on Friday, April 2, 2021, today is Good Friday. And if your raising was anything like my own, you may be thinking, “What exactly is Good Friday all about?” For many years, Protestants have shied away from recognizing days such as Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, for fear of seeming too Catholic, but …
Towards the end of 2020, I was struggling with my prayer life. Many days I felt direction-less, unsure what to even pray for, just…blank. Even though I have followed Jesus for years, I shared in the sentiment of the disciples when they asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.“ (Luke 11:1) At the same time, I often felt overwhelmed by the many things …
It’s been a well-known fact for decades. Young adults are leaving the church in droves. The retention rate is abysmal–according to a Barna study, 59% of youth will leave the church either permanently or for an extended period after age 15. And that study is ten years old now; the problem is likely worse today, especially …
The feeling hit the day after Thanksgiving—that rush of Christmas urgency. I quickly formulated the to-do list in my head: put the decorations up, order the Christmas cards, start buying presents. The deadline of December 25 waits for no man, after all. It all must be done, and it all must be perfect. How else will I be …
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