Many things in life come in threes. My grandmother’s breakfast was the nearly-holy trinity of eggs, sausage, and grits. Then there’s coffee, sweetener, and creamer; the wizarding trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione; Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup (I tip my hat to you if you get that reference); life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;…
Read MoreWhen Life Knocks You Down, Let God Lift You Higher
For the last few weeks, we’ve been discussing how to face defeat in life. By “defeat,” I mean a loss, a setback, or a failure—sometimes self-inflicted, sometimes caused by others, and sometimes occurring without clear cause. No matter the source, defeat hurts, confuses, and tests us. So how can we overcome defeat? What are things…
Read MoreGod’s Hand in the Hurt: Lessons from Joseph’s Journey
One of the all-time great stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph. If you grew up in church, you probably heard his story in Sunday School before you could read. We’re looking at Joseph’s story today, too. God has much to say to us through the life of this incredible man. We’ve spent…
Read MoreDefeated, But Not Done: Finding God in Our Failures
When she was in sixth grade, our daughter was trying out for her middle school soccer team. She was a good player and fully expected to make varsity, so she was devastated when she didn’t. She would play on the junior varsity team instead. It’s always hard to watch your children face defeat, and I…
Read MoreWorship in the Wreckage: When Defeat Finds You
You and I will experience defeat. Most likely, you already have; some of you, like me, have had this experience many times. What do I mean by “defeat”? I’m referring to a loss, a setback, a failure. Some of us hear the word “defeat” and think about our favorite sports team losing. I hate losing….
Read MoreJesus: One Way to God or One of Many?
We’re asking the question, “Is it true that all world religions believe the same thing, and all lead to heaven?” Is it true that “it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere about it?” In the previous post, we looked at the truth of the resurrection of Jesus, a fact in history…
Read MoreDo All Roads Lead to Heaven?
I’ve been shocked by only a few sermons in my life. I lived a sheltered childhood in a Southern Baptist church, and when I got out on my own, I was surprised that everyone didn’t believe like I did. So, when a preacher would say something I’d never heard before, my brain would go on…
Read MoreSobering Results from the American Worldview Inventory 2025
I recently read the results of a survey called the American Worldview Inventory 2025. The study was led by George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. Barna has been highly respected for years as a Christian researcher, so I’m always interested in his findings. I’ll state here at the beginning that…
Read MoreWhat I’ve Read This Past Year
It’s always fun to look back over the past year at the books I’ve read. This past year, I’ve read some classics, some new books, some fiction, non-fiction, and Christian/theology. I’d love to hear what you’ve read in the last year, so post in the comments and give me your recommendations. Here’s what I’ve read…
Read MoreJuly 2025 Update
It’s summertime! Is it as hard for you as it is for me to believe that we’re over halfway through 2025? I can’t say enough how much I appreciate each of you who read the blog! It’s a joy to put in all the study and work to write the posts, and an even greater…
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