Is Control A Disguise for Maturity? October 27, 2025 For years, I had a special mechanical pencil I loved — a perfectly weighted, smooth-writing, irreplaceable tool that helped me map out my perfectly articulated theological prose and soliloquies. Whenever I misplaced it, I’d turn the house upside down in an effort to find it. My wife, in a frustratedly, exhausted (yet completely unhelpful) manner, would just follow me around saying, “Stop looking for it. It will show up eventually.”   That pencil taught me something about myself — perfectionism, anxiety, and overwhelm all come from the same place — the need to feel in control. They whisper, “If I just try harder, plan better, or think longer, I’ll finally feel peace.” But the truth is, those things only show what happens when we try to live without the Holy Spirit.   Control says, “If I can just figure out how to manage this, I’ll have peace of mind.”   The Holy Spirit says, “If you ...READ POST

Struggle Isn’t A Setback — It’s How Faith Grows! October 20, 2025 When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time in the hospital because of cystic fibrosis. Long sleepless nights, loads of needle pokes, and a constant flow of nurses and respiratory therapists coming in at all hours became normal. What wasn’t normal — or at least what hurt the most — was being there without my parents. Not always, but without my brothers or mom and dad constantly there, it felt lonely. I found it exhausting to constantly fight the lie that I was rejected. As a child, I desperately wanted to be understood in my struggle. I wanted someone to “get it.” But what I eventually realized was that wanting to feel understood by others was an unreasonable expectation.   No one can fully understand the details of someone else’s struggle — not the exhaustion, the pain, or the hidden fears that come with it. People can, however, relate ...READ POST

Is the World Getting Darker or Lighter? October 13, 2025 Over the course of my life, I have had several medical procedures. The worst one was a few years ago for an emergency resection of my colon. I’ll spare you the gory details, but needless to say, the recovery was LOOONG and excruciating. I still have a weird, balbous and lumpy abdomen as a result.   If you’ve ever had surgery, you know the healing process can be painful, slow, and at times, discouraging. I’ve never had cancer or a tumor, but depending on the location or how much it has spread, even in a successful removal, the healing process can take months.   But a difficult recovery doesn’t mean the tumor is still there. That’s how Jesus’ Kingdom works. When he came 2000 years ago, he performed the surgery the world desperately needed — he removed the cancer of sin, death, and the enemy’s power. And just like a body slowly heals after ...READ POST

We Crave Connection Yet Run From Vulnerability. October 6, 2025 I’ve been told many times — by men’s ministries and well-meaning mentors — that my wife shouldn’t be my accountability partner because she is the “weaker vessel” and can’t carry the weight of my struggles. But that has never made sense to me (unless I am trying to get away with something). She is my wife. We are one. If I can’t be most vulnerable with her, then who should I be? For me, she is my primary accountability partner, and I believe that’s by God’s design.   The Hebrew Scriptures back this up. In Genesis 2.25, the word for “naked” is ‘arummim — meaning exposed, open, vulnerable. Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame. They were exposed and open, vulnerable with one another for the purpose of being fully known. But in Genesis 3.7, after the garden rebellion, the word shifts to ‘erummim — still naked, but now it carries ...READ POST

Friends, Followers, and Socializing September 29, 2025 We live in the most “connected” moment in history, and yet loneliness, anxiety, and depression are at record highs. Social media promises community, but what it actually delivers is an endless scroll of comparison, outrage, and curated highlight reels. It’s a counterfeit form of relationship.   Research shows that heavy social media use increases depression, disrupts sleep, and rewires the brain to crave the dopamine “hit” of scrolls, likes, and notifications. Ironically, the very people who built these platforms know the dangers and designed them into their code and algorithms.   Social media designers and executives often do not allow their own children to use the platforms they create. This practice is widely reported among leaders in the tech industry, who are aware of the addictive design features and potential harms associated with social media. For example, executives at Facebook, TikTok, and other major platforms have stated they restrict their children’s access to these ...READ POST

God Told Me… September 22, 2025 In Bible school, I had a friend who claimed that God told him he would marry at least five different women during his time there. Coming from a conservative church background (where I was never really taught how to hear God’s voice), his week-to-week “revelations” didn’t exactly build my confidence that God actually spoke.   Almost 25 years later, and after 21 years of marriage, I’ve realized that hearing God’s voice is actually a lot like being married. At first, I thought I understood my wife pretty well. And while I can usually read her now, she’s still full of surprises. Relationship takes time, trust, and daily practice.   Hearing God works the same way. It’s not about getting it perfect — it’s about growing in relationship.   Here are a few things I’ve learned about hearing God’s voice and learning to walk with Him:   Pray Specific Questions. Instead of “God, bless me today,” try, “Holy Spirit, what ...READ POST

When evil seems loud, God is scheming louder! September 15, 2025 Last week’s assassination of Charlie Kirk shook many. It’s been heartbreaking, infuriating, and sobering to see evil take such a public swing at someone who has committed his life to declaring and defending the Truth. Moments like this make it feel like the world is spinning out of control — like darkness is advancing unchecked.   In times like these, I must choose to remember Joseph’s words in Genesis 50.20: “What others have schemed for harm, God schemes for good.” Evil may be scheming, but God is scheming louder. And His plans always trump the enemy.   When I flip on the light in my dark tin shed, it feels chaotic as all the critters scatter. But the light isn’t the problem. It’s actually the solution. The increase in visibility amidst darkness is not proof that evil is getting stronger, bigger, or louder — it’s evidence that God’s light is shining into more places ...READ POST

Thanksgiving = The Answer to All Your Problems September 8, 2025 In 2019, I went through one of the most depressing seasons of my life. I had just had major surgery where part of my colon had to be removed. During the surgery, I was woken up by the surgeon to make a decision that I had feared would happen since I was a little kid. Between the surgery, being woken up, and the lasting effects the surgery had on my body, this depression was the most difficult and darkest season I have ever walked through. It had gotten so bad that my family had to literally do an intervention.   In prayer, one of the things the Holy Spirit led me to do was journal things I was thankful for from the day. By the end of 2020, this habit — along with several other practical steps He had me take that year (including only listening to worship — click here to ...READ POST

Avoid Parked Cars… Your Teeth Will Thank You. September 1, 2025 When I was younger, I knocked out my front teeth in a bike accident. I had seen the parked cars when I began my ride and would have sworn to anyone who asked that I was at least a half a block away from them. But I was completely unaware of how quickly I was moving toward the parked truck because I was sidetracked by a girls’ soccer game. Had I been more aware of my surroundings, I would have noticed the danger I was heading straight for.   The same is true spiritually.   We can get so sidetracked by our circumstances — and feelings of disappointment and frustration — that we lose track of how our own unhealthy mindsets and behaviors can hurt us. Habits form quickly, often without us realizing it, and soon they carry us into situations we never meant to be in. But transformation doesn’t come from trying harder ...READ POST

Do NOT minister to this person… August 25, 2025 As Christians, we do not have a choice but to make disciples. It is literally our job description.   However, one of the hardest parts of discipleship is not just who we are willing to minister to, but who God is actually highlighting to us. The Spirit leads us to people — not our own preference, guilt, or sense of obligation. That being said, the Scriptures do give us some clear warnings about people.   Here are four examples of people we need to be on guard with:   1. The Unrepentant (or the willfully disobedient) Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5.11 not to associate with someone who calls themselves a brother but shows a pattern of willfully giving into known unhealthy behaviors and sins. With this type of person, ask God for discernment to see if they truly desire a life change before investing deeply in them. This may include asking the Holy Spirit to reveal ...READ POST