Words of Life

We could answer the question asked in the title with a simple and firm response, “Because Jesus commanded us to!” Why is loving our enemies so important? What positive effect or benefit comes from it? Let me share what obedience to this puzzling and difficult-to-obey command has done for me.…

Addiction does not always come with a needle or a bottle. Sometimes it comes in the form of scrolling, spending, bingeing, or chasing approval. It can wear a suit or a hoodie. Addicted people are in suburban kitchens and city streets, in churches, schools, bedrooms, and boardrooms. It is not…

How many Facebook friends do you have? According to research by Dr. Robin Dunbar, we are capable of about 15 social relationships. Friendships, of course, are a smaller circle than all our social relationships.

My son Sutton got glasses at age three. It opened my eyes to how much he couldn’t see before. No wonder he had a hard time going up and down stairs! No wonder he would always stand close to the TV instead of snuggling up with Momma and Daddy! His…

At nineteen, I (Jordan) begged my mom to take a picture of me—not for a special occasion like a birthday or college graduation. I wanted proof of how sick I was for when my miracle would come. My mom refused at first. When I became a father, I finally grasped…

In my (Josh’s) younger years, my approach to diet and fitness was all about achieving that perfect six-pack. I ate to stay lean and chiseled, driven by strict discipline and relentless restrictions. It was all about appearances, not nourishment or enjoying a delicious meal. I had friends who were even…

My life seems chaotic sometimes, making “giveback” videos and surprising people all over the world. I’m trying to slow down, go deeper, and work on things that will last. Some people spoke life into me along the way, and my mission is to carry that on. It’s easy to think…

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem that first Christmas, an angel announced the good news to the shepherds living in the fields nearby. They were joined by a vast heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to those with whom God…

As we prepare for Christmas, daily headlines remind us that we face a world of uncertainty, turbulence and conflict. Economies rise and fall, racial strife simmers in the streets and on college campuses, and refugees flee murderous Islamists in the Middle East and Africa. Darkness seems to be closing in,…

The profound historical and spiritual significance of the city of Bethlehem, and even of the name itself, is evident in the fact that Jacob buried Rachel in Bethlehem. Ruth and Boaz lived in Bethlehem, and David was born in Bethlehem. Yeshua could not have been born in any other city.…