“I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” [1] was penned by the Apostle John who, far as we know, wasn’t married and had no biological children. He was writing this particular letter to Gaius, one of his spiritual children, commending him for his faithfulness to the truth. …
Holidays as a Single
Better Than Sons And Daughters (Father’s Day & Mother’s Day)
I’ll never forget the tears that came to the eyes of a 90-year-old single woman as she mentioned the absence of grandchildren in her life. She had never married but had spent years on the mission field and as a mentor to many all her life, including me. She was highly respected in our church and by …
Better Than Sons And Daughters (Father’s Day & Mother’s Day)Read More
Happy Valentine’s Day! You Are Loved!
On this day that celebrates love and that can sometimes feel like a judgment to those without a romantic partner, I want to remind you that you are loved without measure by the One who created you and died for you. He designed you to be who you are, and no matter if there are people …
What is God’s Theme for your New Year?
During these days before another year begins, I imagine most of us are dong a bit of reflecting as well as a bit of looking ahead. Looking back has some value if we are looking at God’s faithfulness to give us encouragement for what’s ahead. But I believe God wants us to mostly be looking …
Opening Our Hearts To Joy
I don’t know what your specific circumstances are, and whether this feels like a joyous time of year to you or not. I do know that many, many different circumstances can threaten to steal our joy – not just during the holidays, but every single day of the year. A holiday that is supposed to …
A Single’s Guide to Thriving at Christmas
I started to write this blog post thinking it would be a guide to surviving Christmas as singles. So many of us – not just singles – think of the holidays from the perspective of just getting through them. I don’t know exactly what it is about the holidays, but they seem to create unrealistic …
How Jesus Defeated the Grinch
The signs that Christmas is coming soon are all around us now. Christmas music follows us everywhere we go, decorations line the streets and cover homes and lawns, people are scurrying around in stores agonizing over what gifts to buy, and the mail carrier is getting later every day as the volume of Christmas mail …
What Are Your Top Three?
It’s that time of year again in the United States when many gather around Thanksgiving Day dinner tables laden with food and surrounded by relatives and friends. But many also don’t. You know who you are. Your parents may be gone, siblings celebrating with in-laws, and friends with their own families. Or perhaps your spouse …
Celebrating Love
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, that day in February when love is celebrated. I have to admit that some years Valentine’s Day has seemed more like a day of mourning than a day of celebration as I remembered a romantic love that was lost, or perhaps that hadn’t materialized. We long to celebrate love because …
East at Easter: Living in the Power of the Cross
By Ross Clark In 1994, Good Friday fell on April 1st, All Fools’ Day. Have you thought as to how much this co-incidence has to say? We are not used to thinking of Easter in terms of folly. We think of Easter in terms of Jesus’ crowning in the triumph and the glory of the resurrection, …
Reviving an Empty Heart at Christmas (and Throughout the New Year)
I hope I never forget the Christmas I sat in a beautiful candlelight service, feeling quite alone and depressed by all the displays of romantic love in the couples around me. Somehow I just couldn’t grasp the joy of the season that Christmas and I struggled to hold back the tears. But our merciful Lord …
Reviving an Empty Heart at Christmas (and Throughout the New Year)Read More
Five Steps to Enjoying Christmas
No matter whether you look forward to Christmas or dread it, the holiday season is upon us once again. For those who anticipate this time of year, it’s wonderful. But for those who dread the holidays the coming days and weeks can be a real struggle. Christmas, along with most holidays, is often portrayed as …
