Life

I Will Give You Rest

The kingdom of heaven is like… a mustard seed… a hidden treasure… a fishing net. “Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables” (Matthew 13:34). A modern day parable The human body is like an automobile. It takes fuel, electricity and intelligence for an automobile to drive. Gasoline is burned as fuel in order to propel the automobile. The battery and alternator provide electricity to start the car, and power all of its electrical components in order to operate. And it takes intelligence to […]

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Having “The Talk” with Your Kids

“As long as it’s consensual, you can have sex with whomever you want of whatever gender you want or identity you want. And it might be before marriage and it might not. All of which is totally natural, and okay, and healthy,” proclaimed my high school’s award-winning newspaper. As I talked to other students about the article, I was dismayed to discover that all of the people I talked to responded positively to it – this is the perspective and change they hoped to see in American health education. They wanted more gay rights, little to no emphasis on abstinence […]

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Teaching Character

When it comes to parenting, an extreme focus on character education and training in our culture has seeped into the church and into Christianity at large. Mesmerized by good behavior, we have equated positive character traits with godliness. We are in shock by the degradation and immorality we see around us, and we believe we can fix the tidal wave of a culture gone mad. We truly believe we can turn it around with educational programs that teach good character and a standard of morality. However, in focusing on the traits rather than the Giver of them, we have placed […]

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Fitness Trends

As America accelerates toward a world of media that is completely online, the presence of online fitness programs has steadily increased. A gym membership and expensive exercise machines aren’t necessary to work out, train for a marathon or lose weight. Stop hiding behind excuses like, “I don’t have enough money to pay for a gym membership!” and check out the do-it-yourself, in-house fitness programs below that will challenge you just as much – if not more – as the weights and machines at your local gym. All of the following workouts can be completed in the privacy of your home. […]

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Count It All Joy

Sarah couldn’t believe what her pastor said in church on Sunday. He was teaching from the book of James and she thought, “You want me to do what in my trials? Count it all joy? Impossible.” If you’re anything like Sarah, joy is the last thing you think is possible when you’re right in the midst of suffering and sudden difficulty. You frequently find yourself asking, “Why is this happening to me? Why now? Has God abandoned me?” In times of trials, joy can seem so out of reach. So how are Christians supposed to count it all joy when […]

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Sanctification Explained: Why Pursue Holiness?

Why should we want to be sanctified? Is there really any point at all in striving to be holy? Does the gospel, on its own, make us better each day or do we have to take action steps and put sweat into it to become more like Christ? Just thinking about becoming more sanctified in our lives can just make our heads start to spin. Honestly the process just seems downright confusing. The idea of pursuing holiness is completely countercultural to the ways of this world. Today, even within Christianity, there seems to be a lot of different perspectives and […]

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Saint Patrick: The slave who set his captors free

This month, we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. But do you know who Saint Patrick is and why we devote an entire day to his honor and remembrance? Taken captive Patrick was only 16 years old when he was captured from his family’s estate in Scotland and taken to Ireland. It was the fourth century and Ireland was steeped in paganism, a nature-based cult lead by druids. There Patrick was sold as a slave to Milchu, a cruel druid priest. As a captive he learned Celtic culture, language and religion. However, it was the God of Christianity that Patrick turned to […]

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Got Headaches?

Headaches are very common today, yet they are not normal. It’s not normal to have headaches on a regular basis. So what are the common causes of headaches? Tension headaches Tension headaches are very common and can be caused by muscle tension and spasm in the neck and shoulders. Tension headaches can also be caused from dehydration and eyestrain. These headaches can also be brought on by physical and emotional stress. The pain can be severe, and these headaches may be accompanied with nausea. Migraine headaches Migraine headaches are even more debilitating, and can last for days at a time. […]

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Inexhaustible Grace

A few years ago, I read something astonishing. Dr. Richard Leahy, a prominent psychologist and anxiety specialist was quoted as saying, “The average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s.” It turns out the problem wasn’t limited to an age group; in 2007 the New York times reported that three in ten American women confess to taking sleeping pills before bed most nights. The numbers are so high and unprecedented that some are calling it an epidemic. This came across my screen about the same time that the […]

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The Challenges of Retirement

In a recent North American survey by Allianz Life, more than 3 of 5 people between the ages of 44 and 75 said they worry more about running out of assets than about dying. Funding a 30 year retirement will take financial planning prowess as you juggle the effects of longevity, inflation, healthcare costs, taxes, market volatility, and regular living expenditures. Your retirement could last longer than you think. Since 1950, life expectancies have increased by more than 10 years (kclirary.lonestar.edu). According to estimates, if you are 65 and married, there is a 50 percent chance that either you or […]

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