The holidays are upon us, but what’s still a little further out is a vaccine for COVID-19. While many of us have our fingers crossed that we’ll see a vaccine early next year, we can count on it not being available in time for the holidays this year. That’s why we all...
Quit making enemies out of everyone
“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it....
Being a light in the darkness after the presidential election
The country seems more divided than ever in modern history. People on both sides of the aisle are pointing fingers at each other, criticising the other side as evil and anti-American. Verbal abuse and physical violence have broken out and are defining the politics of...
It’s OK to not always feel the most spiritual
Have you ever been to a church service and just felt tired or uninterested? Have you found yourself numbly mouthing along the lyrics during worship service? It’s OK. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re just feeling a little spiritually dry. God understands that we...
Four myths about sex in a Christian marriage
A lot of people who grow up in Christian environments believe that they need to wait until marriage to have sex with their partner. This stems from verses in the New Testament that appear to condemn sexual deviance and highlight sex as a gift from God between two...
Your spirituality needs to be higher in your hierarchy of needs
In 1943, American psychologist Abraham Maslow published his theory of the hierarchy of needs. You’ve probably seen it in school represented as a pyramid. At the top is self-actualization, like achieving goals, being creative or finding purpose. Below it are...
Let’s not ignore the role of white supremacy in Christianty’s story
It would be easy to say that racism is behind us. Slavery ended more than 100 years ago. Segregation ended in 1964. We have had a black president in the White House. These are great things, but to say that racism is behind us is to ignore several realities still...
What does it mean to have a childlike faith?
At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?” For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square...
Not giving up on compassion when there is always disaster
Maybe it’s because the internet makes news travel faster. Maybe it’s because of global warming. Either way, it seems like every other day we’re hearing about some sort of natural disaster like wildfires, earthquakes or floods. Not to mention, man-made disasters like...
Learning how to love others with different views
Human beings have always had disagreements. A quick look in a history textbook can remind us how many countless wars have represented these disagreements to the extreme. However, even though this is one of the most peaceful eras in history as far as wars are...
Six tips for staying sane while working from home
Some people work from home on a regular basis, but thanks to COVID-19, more people are working from home than ever. And that means more people are having to adjust to the challenges of working from home. Working from home can be rewarding in many ways. You don’t need...
Six tips for improving your mental health today
Your mental health is important. Did you hear that? Your mental health is important. It absolutely needs to be a priority for you to take care of your mental health if you want to have a more positive outlook on yourself and life in general. However, we often overlook...
Is the church racist?
While many of us like to think that America today has put racism behind us, the reality is that racism has its roots in many of our institutions. Many people who have vast sums of inherited wealth today have inherited their wealth from families that got rich off the...
Dealing with grief and loss in a healthy way
Grieving is hard. We often try to hide or run away from feelings of pain or anger or confusion. However, grief, especially from a loss of someone you love, is hard to avoid. It’s important to let yourself grieve in a healthy way so you don’t end up doing something...
What is the difference between praise and worship?
Have you been to a church where at the beginning or end of every service they do “worship”? This usually is a session of three or four songs in praise to God that everyone sings together led by a group of musicians onstage. This is an important part of most church...