Topic > Christian Living
Peace and Trust
When I was six years old I rode a roller coaster for the first time with my older brothers. As soon as we hit a turn at a high speed I started to yell: “Stop this thing right now! I want to get off!” Of course the roller coaster didn’t stop, and I had to “white knuckle” it, hanging on tight for the rest of the ride.
Sometimes life can feel like an unwanted roller coaster ride, with “downhill” drops and hairpin curves we never see coming. When unexpected difficulties occur, the Bible reminds us that our best recourse is to…
Is it Okay for Christians to Read Self-Help Books?
I have a confession to make: I write self-help books. No “Christian Living category” author ever wants to admit that they write self-help materials. Surely our work is far more important than mere self-help.
God Makes the Impossible Possible
“So, what are you going to do now that you’re done with your Master’s?” That was a question I was repeatedly asked after completing my Master’s in International Relations in China.
The Professor’s Confession
Horrified by his students’ poor writing habits, renowned author and college professor David Foster Wallace considered how he might improve their skills. That’s when a startling question confronted him. The professor had to ask himself why a student would listen to someone “as smug, narrow, self-righteous, [and] condescending” as he was. He knew he had a problem with pride.
That professor could and did change, but he could never become one of his students. Yet when Jesus came to Earth, He showed us what humility looks like by becoming one of us. Stepping across all kinds of boundaries, Jesus made Himself at home…
5 Tips to Stay Woke as a Christian
“Stay woke? Well, I must be awake, because I am talking with you.” That was my response to a friend when I first heard the term, stay woke*.
Nozomi Hope
In 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake and a resulting tsunami took nearly 19,000 lives and destroyed 230,000 homes in the region northeast of Tokyo. In its aftermath, The Nozomi Project, named for the Japanese word for “hope,” was born to provide sustainable income, community, dignity, and hope in a God who provides.
Nozomi women sift through the rubble of homes and furnishings to discover broken china shards that they sand and insert in fittings to form jewelry. The jewelry is sold around the world, providing a livelihood for the women while sharing symbols of their faith in Christ.
In New Testament times,…
All Generations
My parents married in 1933 during the Great Depression. My wife and I are Baby Boomers, part of the dramatic increase in births following World War II. Our four daughters, born in the seventies and eighties, belong to Generations X and Y. Growing up in such different times, it’s not surprising that we have different […]
Privileged Access
Even though it was just a replica, the tabernacle set up in southern Israel was awe-inspiring. Built life-size and as close as possible to the specifications laid out in Exodus 25–27 (without actual gold and acacia wood, of course), it stood tall in the Negev desert. When our tour group was taken through the “Holy […]
Leah’s happy ending
Everyone loves a happy ending. And today on Discover the Word, the team will conclude the series titled, “Leah—Unloved but Deeply Loved” by finally getting to the “greatly loved” part. Tune in to hear how a woman who was unloved by her family and husband wound up finding true love. It’s a great end to a […]
Forgiven!
My friend Norm Cook sometimes had a surprise for his family when he arrived home from work. He would walk through the front door, and shout, “You’re forgiven!” It wasn’t that family members had wronged him and needed his forgiveness. He was reminding them that though they doubtless had sinned throughout the day, they were […]
Looking for love in all the “right” places
How often do we find ourselves “looking for love in all the wrong places”? Well, today on Discover the Word, the team returns to the story of Leah. You’re invited to discover the amazing way in which giving God control of our lives actually leads to finding love in the right places. “Leah—Unloved but Deeply […]
Out of the Deep
I scanned the water intently, on alert for signs of trouble. During my six-hour shifts as a lifeguard, I watched from the side of the pool to ensure the safety of those swimming. Leaving my post, or even becoming lax in my attentiveness, could have grave consequences for those in the pool. If a swimmer was in danger of drowning due to injury or lack of skill, it was my responsibility to pluck them from the water and return them to safety on the pool deck.
After experiencing God’s aid in battle against the Philistines (2 Sam. 21:15–22), David likens his…
Our Generation’s Biggest Struggle: Stillness
For most of my life, I struggled with being still. Being an extrovert made it hard to say no to people. I would push myself to do anything and everything for others, and failed to make time to simply be silent.
I Was Blind, But Now I See
It was six years ago that I lost the vision in my left eye. Today, after much struggle, I can finally see God’s purpose in it.
