Inspired by Night 2 of the LCMS Youth Gathering & Hebrews 12:1–3 Some moments stay with you. For many who gathered on Night 2 of the LCMS Youth Gathering, there was a phrase that echoed through the arena and hit deep into the soul: “I am that joy.” “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter…
Ever feel like you’re drowning in noise. Not just the sound of traffic or your neighbor’s dog or the 37th autoplay video on Instagram. I’m talking about the kind of noise that sits in your brain even when it’s quiet. The constant scroll, the endless to-do list, the pressure to keep up, to stay informed, to…
(Part 1 of 4 in the “Performing or Belonging?” series) It often goes without saying – we’re exhausted. Not from work. Not from parenting. Not from the latest crisis-of-the-week. So many people exhausted from pretending. Smiling when we’re breaking. Posting like we’re thriving. Walking into rooms, churches included, wondering if we’re being judged for not…
Drive through almost any county in America and you’ll spot them: gorgeous brick steeples hovering over empty parking lots, sanctuaries built for 300 now echoing with twenty voices and a stubborn furnace that costs more than the weekly offering. We’ve become better caretakers of drywall than of disciples. And the numbers back it up. Lifeway Research…
Ever have this thought go through your mind? Raising kids today feels like building a straw fort in a windstorm. The world is loud.The rules keep changing.The pressures seem to start earlier with every generation. The questions get heavier.And half the time, we don’t even feel confident in our own footing, let alone how to…
Have you noticed it? How quickly everything turns into a fight.How often people talk past each other instead of to each other.How even simple conversations feel like walking through a minefield. We’re surrounded by noise, not connection.By opinions, not understanding.By constant talking, but not much listening. It’s not just politics or big debates either. It’s…
I think it’s safe to say. The modern American church is addicted to safety. We’ve built sanctuaries that feel more like coffee shops than spiritual battlegrounds. We’ve traded sermons that pierce the soul for talks that soothe the ego. We’ve made small groups “low commitment,” worship “non-offensive,” and mission trips “Instagrammable.” Somewhere along the way,…
We live in a world that subtly, and not so subtly, says the same thing over and over:You should be doing more. Work more. Be more involved. Cook from scratch. Get ahead. Stay informed. Stay fit. Stay positive. Stay available. And if you’re tired? That’s just proof you need better habits. Or a better planner….
Let’s be honest: most of our prayers are weak. They’re soft. Safe. Domestic. “Help me have a good day.”“Please heal Aunt Carol’s bunion.”“Let the traffic be light.” We toss these up like God is our cosmic butler, here to make life smooth, not holy. And when Paul drops to his knees in Ephesians 3:14-21, he blows…
Let’s talk about punctuation. Yeah, that’s right punctuation. No this is not grammar class. It’s not middle school English. I have no right to teach anyone about proper grammar – just ask my wife! I’m talking about the way we speak to each other in real life. And if we’re honest, most of us are…
