Articles Tagged 'Hardship'

When Endings Are Complicated, God Is Still Gracious

What do you do when the endings are not always happy ones?

Ron Rose reminds us that not all faith stories have happy endings and that sometimes we have to wade on through tragedy with faith.

Tough Times Toughen

Wow, tough times can be hard, but is there a payoff to them?

Tough times, even when they are filled with temptation can help us grow and better appreciate good times when they come.

Don't Settle for a Small Destiny

What do we let define us, call or catastrophe?

Max Lucado from his book "You'll Get Through This" encourages us to not let our disappointments define us but instead let God's destiny for us define us.

Give Your Fears to the Father

How remarkable that Jesus felt such fear. But how kind that he told us about it.

Max Lucado reminds us that Jesus made all sorts of faces as he lived life much as we do, and because he has been where we are, even in the darkest of times, we can turn to him and find grace to help us in our times of need.

Overcoming the Greater Pandemic: From Hopeless to Living Hope

We can't think of a more important commitment for us as believers in our uncertain times.

James Nored and Phil Ware share a message of hope in video and word and Scripture to remind us to be ready to share our living hope for those caught in life's dark winter.

Purpose that Brings Meaning to Life

As human beings, we can survive almost any 'how' if we have a 'why'! — Viktor Frankl

James Nored and Phil Ware share God's message for us about purpose and meaning through words and video, focusing on Viktor Frankl and the apostle Paul.

Beyond Trite Slogans to Real Help

How can we say these things and really mean them when trying to help those who hurt?

Phil Ware writes about Romans 8:22-29, the bondage to decay that our world faces, our own troubles and hardships, and slogans that we often use and abuse to try to encourage people who are grieving, wounded, or hurt.

Questions on Our Journey of Faith

Someone who is without faith in God doesn't yearn for answers for their deepest questions from God. Our questions as believers can be signs that we are reaching out to God for reassurance.

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us in word and video that faith is not about always having the answers and never having doubts, but persevering on the journey to Jesus.

Our Chorus is the Gospel

'The verses are the blues, the chorus is the gospel.'

Patrick Odum picks up a line from a Bruce Springsteen interview and helps us understand the need for being real about our struggles but also celebrating our hope in the gospel.

Even Though They Are Small?

If we are not careful, the challenges of the moment can wilt the joy right out of our Thanksgiving.

Phil Ware reminds us that no matter how difficult our circumstances, because of Jesus we have reason to give thanks!

Purpose that Brings Meaning to Life

As human beings, we can survive almost any 'how' if we have a 'why'!

James Nored and Phil Ware share God's message for us about purpose and meaning through words and video.

C.S. Lewis and the Struggle to Find Faith

The final destination of our journey to faith often depends upon the orientation of our hearts.

James Nored and Phil Ware challenge us to look at C.S. Lewis and his journey of faith along with a broken-hearted father and see how we might be able to find faith in our own lives.

The Holy Family, Incarcerated!

Christ Church takes the story of the flight to Egypt and uses it to make us think about what the “old, old story” of Jesus tells us about this very contemporary issue.

Patrick Odum challenges us to think critically and lovingly in light of our new-found awareness of baby Jesus' status as a refugee from violence.

Life Happens!

No one is exempt from life’s challenges.

Brian McCutchen uses the journey of Asaph in Psalm 73 to remind us that life happens to everyone, but God is with those who love him.

Honesty with God on Our Journey of Faith

Thankfully the Bible is honest about the flaws of our heroes so we can know that we can be a person of faith useful to God, too!

James Nored and Phil Ware remind us that Abraham's journey of faith wasn't easy, his life was not perfect, and his questions for God were real.

Finding My Story in God's Story

Life's ultimate questions need answers. Do you know where to find them? Do you know how to share them? Do you know how your story fits into God's big picture?

James Nored begins to share his great video series on the Story of Redemption, entitled Finding Your Story in God's Story.

Give Me Jesus: Now

God came to us in a way that all of us could find him, know him, and find our way home!

This is part of a 4 part series on Jesus' birth called, "Give Me Jesus," and this one focuses on finding him now.

After the Crowd Has Gone

Thanksgiving is over; so what do we do now as we return to the challenges of life?

Phil Ware reminds us that Jesus gave us a great example on how to deal with the challenges we face after a great thanksgiving feast.

More Bread than Peanut Butter to Spread

What do we do when we have way more going on in our lives than we can handle?

Phil Ware begins a series of posts on our needing rest with Jesus and focuses on what we do when we have more to do than resources or strength and we don't have a rest time close at hand.

Lifestyle: Connecting Others with Jesus

How we view people impacts our lifestyle

Phil Ware finishes his series on "The Andrew Effect" about connecting people with Jesus by reminding us how Jesus viewed people.

Getting Our Lives on Track

Life is full of ups and downs, but God goes with us through it all!

Bill Sherrill reminds us that life is full of ups and downs, good things and bad, so we need to find the good and not the bad.

The Emmaus Option

How an old journey and a brief meal can help us reshape ourselves... and our world.

Ann Voskamp looks at our ravaged world this summer and uses the image of a ravaged countryside to help us remember the power of sharing scars with the one who bears our sin in his scars.

Don't Settle for a Small Destiny

What do we let define us, call or catastrophe?

Max Lucado from his book "You'll Get Through This" encourages us to not let our disappointments define us but instead let God's destiny for us define us.

Finding Happiness?

Are we looking in the right places to find happiness for ourselves?

Teresa Bell Kindred reminds us that what we define as happiness is nearly always temporary pleasure that is soon gone and leaves us unhappy; happiness is really on our own shoulders.

Holding Jesus' Miracles in My Hands

Sometimes we get to touch what Jesus has done and it is breathtaking!

Phil Ware writes about Compassion international and seeing the incredible things God is doing through the projects in Fortaleza, Brazil using the help of sponsors and ground personnel to free children from poverty in Jesus' name.