We don’t like to give up, well, anything. We live in a prosperous world and while some may have less than others, the reality is we all have more than most of the world. The fact that you are reading this demonstrates the prosperity we all have, whether you’re reading this in a web browser…

When my children were little one of them discovered what appeared to be a get-out-of-jail-free card for saying something offensive: just say the words “No offense”! “Mom, this food is yucky—no offense!” “Dad, your breath stinks—no offense!” After one particularly offensive declaration my wife asked said child what, exactly, does this child think “no offense”…

A couple weeks ago I said in my sermon, “Sometimes the best we can do is simply endure.” Life can be difficult and painful. There are times in which the pain we encounter overwhelms us and all that seems to be in our grasp is endurance. We grin and bear it. This quality is often…

We all want to live easier lives, don’t we? Lives free of pain and suffering, free of struggle and hardship, free of fear and worry, free of conflict altogether. I think if you and I were completely honest, we’d say this is what we want for this life. These are the things we tend to…

One of my favorite books of the Bible is the prophet Haggai. In two brief chapters he records God’s words to the leaders of Judah and to the people of Judah, and I often find his words comforting. Haggai offers very precise dates for his oracles. The book begins with a word from the Lord…