When I was in elementary school, I wanted so badly to be cool and trendy and fit in with the emerging popular crowd. It was the time when leggings and matching skirts were in. The queen of trend had a black set with bright neon buttons at the waistband - it was the 80s, go with it. I didn't own any leggings, but I did own a denim skirt and jeans. Hopefully you see where this utterly tragic line of third grade thinking is going and I can skip the rest of the mortifying story.

During my awkward and at times unfortunately unforgettable teenage years, DC Talk hit the scene. When my youth group would go to camp or go on mission trip we traveled in a long caravan of about seven or eight 15-passenger vans. Every single one of those vans had a tape of DC Talk's Free At Last album and we played it. Over and over again. I remember one van actually wearing out their tape and having to get someone else's. Fortunately, at least half the members in the youth g

There’s an old saying that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. There’s an incredible amount of pride in that statement, but it’s a notion that we all fall into at some point or another. We fall victim to the idea that our way is the only way and we’re better off on our own. For the Christian, this is an especially dangerous notion. God didn’t create us to walk the earth alone, but rather in fellowship with other believers. This has been true from the

Walk into any Christian gift or book store and you’ll find a plethora of items decorated with Jeremiah 29:11. The verse is widely used and frequently memorized. Perhaps you’ve even memorized it yourself. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 It’s not a surprise that this verse is embraced so readily. The promise within it is extremely appealing. But Bible verse

"In the beginning…" Have you ever noticed that some of the most heartbreaking stories begin that way? In the beginning, he was so nice and sweet. In the beginning, I thought it was just a cold. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Yes, there's something heartbreaking about the Bible, because in the beginning was perfection. And then, with a single, willful act, perfection was ruined. The place humanity belonged was stripped away and our perfect union with

Based on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 If you've ever given up a bad habit, you've experienced "The Look". It drifts over the features of well-meaning family and friends. It flashes across the face of acquaintances and co-workers. It's that momentary glimpse of the fact that some part of them expects you to falter. After all a cheetah can't change his spots and a zebra can't alter his stripes and whatever other animal they choose to attribute the inability to change to, well, it can'

Next Tuesday, A Lady of Esteem will be made available. As thrilled as I am to be sharing the love story of Amelia and Anthony with the world, I am more hopeful that God will use their story to touch someone's life. This Sunday, I want to invite you to pray with me. My church always has a time of invitation, where people can come and pray at the altar during the service. This is when I will be lifting up a special prayer, dedicating this book and everything I do with it to the