During camp this past summer, one of the staff’s favorite worship songs was “Only By the Blood.”The song asks:”Does anybody want to be holy,Righteous, purified, and spotless?Let me tell you,It’s only by the blood.Does anybody want to be worthy,Forgiven, justified, really living?Let me tell youIt’s only by the blood.”Only by what Jesus has done for …
Can you imagine what it would be like living life with Jesus when he was here on earth? To talk with him over a meal? To hear him pray to his Father in heaven? To walk with him into a village and see his servant’s heart as he ministered to others? To hear his voice …
If you have your “game face” on, you know that you have “a serious or determined expression” because you are “try[ing] to win or achieve something.” Athletes are known for this focused disposition. Even though the term “game face” hadn’t been coined yet, the Apostle Paul seemed to be aware of the concept. He used …
For those of you who are thinking of reading through the Bible this year, here are a few resources that might be helpful. Here are a few reminders as you start this year-long journey: These lessons aren’t profound. However, even my Bible reading plan has surfaced sin struggles in the seemingly unlikely place of my …
On my way to rejoice with friends celebrating new life, my phone rang like a death bell tolling. I pulled off the road to hear the nurse say, “Your biopsy results indicate you have breast cancer.” My body responded to the news involuntarily, shaking uncontrollably, as if it anticipated what was to come before my …
My teenagers have expressed to me some of the challenges they deal with as they’re growing into adulthood. They are frustrated by all the changes, the emotional exhaustion, the social dynamics, and the pressure everyone puts on them to make sure they’re preparing adequately now in order to have a successful future. They are caught …
Author: Erica Owen We love our local church. We believe God is accomplishing most of his work in the world today through local establishments of the universal church. He ordained a visual reality of the invisible, to bear witness to the world of his relationship to his people, who submit to Jesus as their Head, …
Saturday, November 20, 2022, marked the beginning of the twenty-second FIFA World Cup. The eyes of soccer fans everywhere are on Qatar, the first Middle Eastern country to host the historic competition. While the talent is extraordinary and the match-ups entertaining, for the Christian there can be an additional purpose to pursue as we sit …
“A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother.” Proverbs 10:1 The sobriety of this truth came to bear afresh upon my heart as I studied through Proverbs as a young parent. John Kitchen, in his commentary on Proverbs, admits regarding this verse, “What capacity for pain …
As I’m writing this, I’m waiting for a text from one of our kids as to whether or not they made it on their school basketball team. I’ll admit, I’m pretty nervous for them and am trying to steady my shaking hands so I can actually type! Team sports, for better or worse, are a …
