Have you ever been reminded of God’s character in a place you weren’t expecting? Sometimes those reminders come during prayer or while reading Scripture. Other times, apparently, they come in the form of two angry minks fighting beside a river in Spain. I certainly wasn’t expecting a spiritual lesson that day. My wife and I…
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Sometimes the door is wide open, but we’re still afraid to walk through it. God may be leading us toward something new. An opportunity appears. A prayer is answered. We sense Him asking us to take a step of faith. And yet we hesitate. What if it doesn’t work out or we’re wrong? What if…
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Have you ever noticed how different something can look when you change your position? A problem that seems enormous when you’re standing right in front of it can look completely different when you take a few steps back. Sometimes we don’t need our circumstances to immediately change. We need a new perspective. I was reminded…
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I’m excited to share some news about what God has been doing in my writing life. I recently signed with Abundance Books for two new devotional books, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to begin working on both of these projects. The first book currently has the working title When Animals Preach and is expected…
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Some days on the job feel important. You respond to an emergency. Help someone in crisis. Prevent something terrible from happening. Maybe you go home knowing without a doubt that what you did that day had purpose and mattered. Other days? You check doors. Write reports. Patrol the same streets. Direct traffic. Answer routine calls.…
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I love my kids. But let’s be honest. Loving our children doesn’t mean they always make it easy to parent them. Sometimes they forget what we’ve asked. Sometimes they make an honest mistake. And other times? They know exactly what we said and decide they’re going to do what they want anyway. Those are the…
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There are some jobs you can clock out of and leave behind. First responder work usually isn’t one of them. You may leave the station, jail, ambulance, dispatch center, or patrol car at the end of your shift, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the job stays there. After spending hours dealing with emergencies, difficult personalities,…
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We’ve all heard the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I believe there’s a lot of truth in that. Throughout a child’s life, plenty of adults will have opportunities to influence them. Teachers, coaches, pastors, relatives, neighbors, and family friends may all become part of that village. But there’s something important we…
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Starting a book can be exciting. Finishing one? That’s another story. Most writers begin with plenty of enthusiasm. There’s an idea we can’t stop thinking about: characters demanding our attention or a message we feel called to share. Then somewhere between the opening chapter and “The End,” real life gets involved. The ideas become harder…
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Parenting has never lacked opinions. One expert says to stay closely involved in every part of your child’s life. Another says to give them plenty of freedom and let them learn through experience. Some call it helicopter parenting. Others champion free-range parenting. While each approach has strengths, I don’t believe the real question is which…
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It’s easy to fall in love. Staying in love takes intention. When a relationship is new, conversations seem effortless. You can’t wait to spend time together, learn about each other, and dream about the future. But every marriage eventually moves beyond the excitement of dating. Real life arrives with work schedules, bills, responsibilities, disappointments, and…
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The other day I watched a young person walk into a job interview dressed professionally, shake hands confidently, and answer questions without a parent hovering nearby. Sadly, that’s becoming less common. Many employers have noticed that soft skills—things like communication, problem-solving, personal responsibility, and initiative—are becoming harder to find. It’s not that today’s young adults…
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Most couples spend countless hours planning a wedding. They compare venues, taste cakes, choose flowers, and debate the guest list. Those things aren’t wrong—they’re part of celebrating a special day. But there’s a question I wish more couples asked long before they started planning a wedding. Is God actually calling us to marriage? That’s a…
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It’s a question more and more Christian couples are asking. Housing costs are high. Rent isn’t getting any cheaper. Living together can seem like a practical solution. “We’ll save money.” “We’ll spend more time together.” “We’re committed to each other anyway.” On the surface, it sounds reasonable. But before making a decision based on convenience,…
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If you’re a parent, grandparent, youth leader, mentor—or even a Gen Zer yourself—I have a challenge for you. We hear a lot about today’s generation. We know they’re growing up in a world that’s vastly different from the one their parents experienced. But how much do we really know about them? Before you peek at…
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What is the answer to the question in this article’s title? What does it look like? It’s a question I’ve been asking young adults for years, and honestly, it’s one most of us have never stopped to consider. We spend so much time talking about becoming independent that we rarely stop to ask what kind…
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Moving out on your own is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming. Whether you’re leaving for college, starting your first full-time job, or moving into your own place, this season comes with a lot of change. Even positive change can bring uncertainty, and it’s completely normal to feel anxious as you learn to navigate adulthood.…
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Q: Adult-o-Nomics shares insights and encouragement from high school and college students, parents, and your own experience as a youth pastor and father of four. What led you to write it? A: I wrote it because I see so many young adults struggling with anxiety after moving out on their own. By asking around, I…
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I’ve never loved carpools. There’s something uncomfortable about giving up control of the wheel—especially when I’m not the one driving. What if I want to stop for coffee? Or do I need to leave early? What if the driver takes a route I wouldn’t choose? Truthfully, I like being in control. And if I’m honest,…
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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”— Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) I sometimes think God created certain animals not to reflect His character but to remind us what He is not. Take the…
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