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New Year, Same God
Everything changes. That’s one thing we can all agree on. Some changes we celebrate, like graduations and weddings. Some changes we mourn, like death and divorce. I’m guessing many of you breathed a sigh of relief when the clock struck midnight on December 31. After what felt like years, 2020 is over. But there doesn’t seem to be a change yet. If anything, it seems to be getting worse. We long for change. Yet we also desire things to remain the same. We want improvements, not disadvantages. However, nothing on this earth will remain the same. People pass on. Pictures fade. Rocks erode. Forests die. And yet there is one…
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How We Should Live In 2021
What if 2021 is just like 2020? What if all the disappointments from this year are simply compounded? What if we have to go another year without that conference, concert, vacation, or graduation party? What if 2021 isn’t everything we hope it will be? I’ve talked about contentment before. We keep trying to find satisfaction in the wrong things. The only place we can find true contentment is in Jesus. But what does that look like? And how can we be content if we have to endure another year of disappointments? No More Complaining Paul says in Philippians 2:14-15 that as believers we are to “[do] everything without grumbling or…
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The Secret of Contentment
During the month of May, I challenged myself to read the book of Philippians once a day. While I missed a few days, I consider this Bible study exercise a success. Instead of just reading Philippians and forgetting about it, I was able to remember what I studied. But this article isn’t about how to study the Bible. Instead, I wanted to share a lesson I’ve learned from the Apostle Paul that I think is very relevant for our times today. First, I want to challenge you to go read Philippians straight through. It probably will take ten to fifteen minutes of your time. Then come back to this article.…
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Return of the Distraction Squirrels!
I don’t know about you, but quarantine is making it even easier than before to get distracted. Because I have next to no plans, I keep procrastinating with just about everything. I often tell my mom, “Well, it’s not like I have any plans for the weekend. I can finish my school assignments/do chores/write a blog post later.” One thing our pastor said last week really stood out to me, and I paraphrase, “Don’t let your distractions become your habits.” What did he mean by this? He explained that during this time of isolation and social distancing that we are starting to spend more time on the things we used…
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4 Things to Remember During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Billions of people across the globe have been affected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. Countless doctors, nurses, and grocery store workers are working extended hours, putting themselves at risk. Thousands of families have members with the virus. Some are mourning the loss of life. For some of us, the only effects we can see are messed up plans and empty grocery store shelves. If you’re like me, your carefully planned year just got knocked off the tracks. This time is hard for everyone. I know you’ve probably heard plenty of advice on how to handle the pandemic these past few weeks, but I would like to offer you…
