The answer isn't to compare pain or place it on a relative scale of suffering, but rather to address pain as pain, in context, regardless of the source. Yes, we absolutely must kick into gear the moment we hear a word like "cancer" or "death." But I hope we can also mobilize ourselves to respond with similar compassion to words like "frustration" and "fear" and "chest cold." [Click title to read more.]
Category: Christian living
Superficiality Is The Great Obstacle
Most of us live in a small-talk world. I suspect that's why a lot of people struggle with evangelism. [Click title to read more.]
Enduring Doubt Till Morning
With the blessing of history and hindsight, we can see it. We, from our vantage point, always see the aftermath of the crucifixion illuminated by the glow of the resurrection. But the disciples didn't. What we understand as the transition from death to life they saw as a tangled mess of failure, despair, fear, and confusion. [Click title to read more.]
Oranges and Others-Focused Thinking
When my mind is on myself, it literally prevents me from seeing outside myself: I lose my ability to think of the world in an empathetic way. I lose my ability to see the world the way others might, to understand their needs and their perspective. [Click title to read more.]
Ministry to the Childfree And Those With Nontraditional Families
As I grow older, I become more and more aware that I'm part of an odd, niche demographic: the childfree family. And we (along with other non-traditional families) don't often seem like candidates for targeted ministry. But we need our churches desperately. [Click title to read more.]
Stepping Outside Your Demographic
Even if you do fit in perfectly with your age group, it's not challenging or enlightening to expose yourself to a set of worldviews that roughly match yours. [Click title to read more.]
Perfect Outside, Rotten Inside
Appearances can be deceiving. And sometimes a shiny, polished exterior is enough to deceive us completely - especially when it comes to faith. [Click title to read more.]
Be Mindful Of The Small Things
As wrapped up as we all are in the daily business of living, we miss the small signs in our behavior and in the behavior of others that might indicative something is amiss. [Click title to read more.]
It’s Important For Believers To Engage With The World
As our churches grow more insular and our lives become centered more and more within the church, we must not lose sight of the fact that the bulk of our work lies outside it. [Click title to read more.]
Taking The Time To See People
We live in a society where, increasingly, we're told our main concern is ourselves. That we have no obligation to others and no duty to see them. That it's madness to take five minutes of your day that could go to so many other things - like family! or ministry! or work! - and spend it on casual interaction with a person that you've never met before and may never meet again.[Click title to read more.]
Samaritan's Song 