Faith Through Suffering

Faith Through Suffering

Imagine for a moment that you could see into the future. As you peer into the future, you see a person that is ill. You realize that you know the cure, but as you look deeper into the future, you see that healing that person results in calamity. Ignoring details for the sake of this hypothetical, just imagine this is the case. Although you wish to heal a person, a butterfly effect will occur, and it will cause more harm than good. Conversely, y

Hit The Road

And so the Lord says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites with amazing wonders. The wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear (Isaiah 29:13-14).

The adage "it's not what you know but who you know" is a compelling and simplified solution

Brandi's New Book on Religion & Education

Many of you know Brandi Jo Searcy Atkins love for education and her love for Jesus. She has a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials. She is bold in her faith in a secular educational world, and has just written a book entitled, How Religion Effects Childhood Development and Education: My Academic Freedom. Here's what she has to say about the book:

I had a calling to write and just started writing. I had some issues arising a

Among You

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?"

Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs. You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you" (Luke 17:20-21, NLT).

When Christians get together and include Jesus in their gatherings, unexpected and remarkable spiritual processes occur. It's a brilliant feature created in us by our Heavenly Father, first released in our

After All I Do

After All I Do

    A common disagreement between Christians, and part of the reason for the Protestant Reformation, is the idea of how one exactly becomes saved. Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that faith in Christ only saves you initially, however, one must continue to practice many works, such as the Sacraments, in order to maintain one’s salvation. In the eye of a Catholic or an Orthodox Christian, grace can be fallen out of. The disagreement lies in a m

Before You Start

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! (1 Corinthians 9:24)

When we think about our faith, we often think in analogous ways that approximately describe the state of our souls. The Apostle Paul gave the footrace as an apt descriptor that is still readily understood today. We can picture ourselves running towards our God given finish lines, striving in the difficult sections and maybe coasting on the straight-a-ways

Christmas Lightening

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

      -Isaiah 61:1-2 (NLT)

      Tis the season to be merry & jolly. We illuminate our evenings with candles,

Worn Suggestions

My child, eat honey, for it is good,

and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste.

In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul.

If you find it, you will have a bright future,

and your hopes will not be cut short.

            - Proverbs 24:13-14, NLT

      There is a vacant lot sandwiched between squat houses and ragged concrete that lay derelict – like something out of the rust belt in the Mid-West – and none pay it too much attention except when city ordinances compel the

Here's How Seeing God Makes Your Life Rich

Life can feel chaotic, and in the rush of it all, we often miss the ways God is speaking to us through the world around us. From the delicate veins of a leaf to the vast expansion of the sky, His presence is woven into everything. When we start to notice, it doesn’t change how we see, but it transforms how we live.

Seeing God in everything starts with learning to slow down and pay attention. Psalms 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proc

Star Struck

     His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise. His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden (Habakkuk 3:3b-4).

     Andy Warhol had once remarked that “in the future everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes”. Since the advent of smartphones & social media, Warhol's prediction has become mostly true. At least the potential for stardom is more in reach than ever b