Seven Years Later

I normally don’t share many details about my personal life on this blog, but I felt compelled to this week. This is because this past Monday marked seven years since my older cousin, Daniel, passed away. He was 19, and after a 10-month-long stay in different hospitals battling leukemia, he left this world for his … Continue reading Seven Years Later →

Stay Awake

In Luke 12, Jesus tells a parable of servants who were ready for their master when he came. He then tells us, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). In Mark’s record of this same teaching of Christ, Jesus says, “concerning … Continue reading Stay Awake →

Through Him and For Him

"For by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16 Everything was created by Jesus to reflect Jesus, His creative power, His majesty, and to give Him the honor, glory, and praise … Continue reading Through Him and For Him →

Don’t Play Hide and Seek

A mom is outside tending to the family garden, leaving her five-year-old son alone indoors. The little boy is playing with his toys when he realizes that the glass tray of recently-baked cookies has been left unattended. He steps up in a chair, attempting to reach the delectable dessert while he has the opportunity, but … Continue reading Don’t Play Hide and Seek →

Bluegrass, Orchestras, and the Body of Christ

For the past two years, I have been on a bit of a bluegrass kick in my music-listening tastes. What I think makes this genre well worth listening to is the blending of instruments. In bluegrass music, there is typically a guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo (or additional instruments, such as an upright bass) all … Continue reading Bluegrass, Orchestras, and the Body of Christ →

He is Worthy

Andrew Peterson’s song Is He Worthy? is one of my all-time favorite Christian songs. The song comes from Revelation 5, and if you haven’t heard this song, I would strongly encourage you to stop reading this and listen to it right now. Once you’ve done that, we can pick back up here! There’s a lot … Continue reading He is Worthy →

King Edmund the Just

In C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s novel The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, there is a small, often overlooked detail that speaks to the transformative power of the gospel. The royal title given to one of the main characters, Edmund Pevensie, shows us that no one is too far gone to … Continue reading King Edmund the Just →

The Help and Hope of the Tempted

Hebrews 2:18 says, “For because [Jesus] himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” What a comfort to know that Jesus is able to help us when we are being tempted. I once went through a challenging season where I had a difficult time finding a job. During … Continue reading The Help and Hope of the Tempted →

Free from Legalism

Note: The following devotional is slightly longer than usual, as it has been adapted from a recent sermon. How would you define freedom? We typically think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want, as not being bound to a set of rules. However, rules are important. From an early age, we are … Continue reading Free from Legalism →

Looking for the Kingdom

In the Bible, there are some lesser-known heroes we can learn a lot from. One such person is Joseph of Arimathea. We know from all four gospels that a man named Joseph from the town of Arimathea buried Jesus. From these accounts, we can gather a good deal of information about Joseph. We know that … Continue reading Looking for the Kingdom →