We've heard a lot of "the church is not a building," "the people are the church," and "the church never ends" language since March 2020, when the pandemic halted regular gatherings as a church inside the walls of a building…

I have always been a big fan of Romans 12. Reading it helps remind me that I'm just a little itsy-bitsy piece of the body of Christ that is being sewn together in Jesus to bring glory to our Father in Heaven. Instead of worrying about another person's gifts, it challenges me to pour my energy into how I steward the talents God graciously gives me…

Much like snowflakes, no two people are exactly alike. Being a father, I see this truth play out in my girls, Madi and Paige. One is a morning person who is always on time; the other sleeps in, rushing to get out the door…

Shame-driven Christian communities are a turn-off to believers and non-believers alike. So, why do those Fathered by the Lord often turn away from regular church attendance? I believe it is due, in part, to the fact that we tend to "call out" one another's sin without inviting Christ's gentleness and grace into the conversation…

What comes to mind when you read verses in the Bible about fearing the Lord? Do you think of punishment, banishment, or judgment? If our God is a God of love, none of these thoughts would fit His character….

Why do kids believe in Santa Claus, even when they can't see him? One reason is that kids can see tangible evidence of Santa's rumored character all around them during the holiday season…d

Even though I publicly blame Jenn, my wife, for my HGTV obsession, secretly, I'm a sucker for a good home renovation show. There's just something about watching the transformation of a rundown, worn-out-shabby house into a breathtaking and next-level residence…

Sometimes you are the guy who asks the homecoming queen to the big dance, and other times you are the guy who chickens out and spends his time by the punch bowl. Unfortunately, I was the latter…

Being around someone who is always complaining, bickering, and grumbling is exhausting - they have the uncanny ability to suck the life and air out of a room. It's draining and far from life-giving. We avoid these individuals in the hallways, sigh when a text from them pops up and hit ignore when they call…

The apostle Paul makes a rather bold statement in his letter to the church in Ephesus. He tells this body of believers to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. What an absurd command! Why would anyone want to do such a thing?..

My kids spend a lot of time together. Most of the time, they work out their disagreements and genuinely care about one another. But there are other times that I am startled at how easily they can tune one another out…

Imagine waking up with a full day of student-teaching ahead of you. You are exhausted from a week of wrangling kindergarteners and learning about the daunting (and demanding) career that awaits you. The sun hasn’t even come up yet. And what do you find in your sink? Your husband’s beard shavings. This is the daily reality of my best friend and sister-in-law…

One can eat too much watermelon. I learned this lesson the hard way as a teenager after having my fair share of it at a summer block party. In the middle of the night, I woke up with a rumbling in my tummy, ran to the bathroom, and well, had a seed spitting contest…

When my youngest daughter was a toddler, my wife and I took our daughter to a state park near where I grew up in western Maryland. The park is on the side of a large mountain and overlooks the town below…

Today's verse may be easy to look at and think, "Steal? I don't steal things; this verse isn't for me." But within the larger context of the passage that we have been reading this week in Ephesians 4…

What if I told you that the God of the universe allows you to be angry? Now, that doesn’t mean we should go and change our One Word for the year to anger. But instead, it’s an invitation to unpack our anger…

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m the king of last words. Just ask my wife. Even though I’ve become better over the years, my tendency is to approach arguments as if they were high school debates. Only one side will be declared the winner and it must be me…

Have you ever wanted a fresh start? There have been some seasons of my life where I wish there was some sort of reset button. A few seasons were marked with poor decisions and choices and I long to go back to make it right. But since I cannot go back, I push forward, hoping that the lessons learned along the way will keep me from making the same mistakes again…

Glen, my father-in-law, has to be the most "frugal" person I know. He's always looking for ways to skirt the system, especially regarding the one checked bag rule that most airlines have in place…

Our home is often loud. With three toddlers in the house, someone is almost always singing, trying to tell a story, and often crying. The volume consistently seems to be going up…