Scripture reading: Matthew 22:37–40; 1 John 3:18 There is a particular ache in realizing someone you love has stopped asking for your time. The child who once begged you to play quietly finds something else to do. Your spouse stops trying to tell you about their day. A parent leaves a message that begins, “I [...]
Conflict is inevitable. People are flawed and the world is broken, so we shouldn’t be surprised when we face struggles in all areas of our lives, relationships and endeavors. We can’t avoid all conflict, but we can try to endure it and learn from it. Conflict isn’t about the obstacles; it’s about the opportunities. Conflict [...]
When someone you love tells you something more than once, you listen. It’s important to that person, so it becomes important to you, too. It’s the same way with God. When we read the Bible and learn more about who Jesus is, we see how important relationships are to Him. Jesus showed us the importance [...]
Youth is a trickster. It makes us think we will always be young, or at least we won’t be old for a very long time. The distance between today and old age seems like the distance between the Earth and Mars, so it sometimes feels like we don’t have anything in common with the elderly. [...]
Living in peace with everyone is one of the toughest things we will do. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but a by-product of commitment. We will not always feel like loving the people around us, but we must pursue peace in order to propel people toward Jesus. Hebrews 12:14-15 says, “Make every effort [...]
I have a friend who is several weeks into a painful separation from his wife. His home has become a war zone. With their sweet-natured four year old caught in the middle, he finally decided to get an apartment down the street just to give things some time to cool down. It’s a tense, sad [...]
Remember how thrilling your dating days were? And what about those happy honeymoon memories? I bet you wished it would never end, right? Well, it really doesn’t. Though you may not be able to stay on the cruise or Caribbean island or in that cozy mountain cabin, and though you may have lots of commitments, kids, [...]
