The parable of the prodigal son is not a message of hope for the foolish younger sons out there. Maybe I just confused you. Maybe you thought you squeezed every last bit of usefulness out of this often-repeated and easily memorized story. While most of the details within the story are about redemption for the lost, … Continue reading The Older Brother →

Like you, I didn't choose to be born into a middle-class family that had the means to provide for all of my basic needs and many of my wants. Likewise, my 10-year-old friend, Florence, didn't choose to be born in a homemade brick shack on the side of a Ugandan dirt road. While my biggest complaints during the … Continue reading Rising Out of Poverty →

I'm not a cat person. That's no secret (especially now). With fur that makes me want to rip my eyes out (or dander... whatever), and claws that draw blood faster than a nursing student's first attempt to start an IV on a live human, I honestly don't know how anyone can be a cat person. Even … Continue reading Why Cats Suck →

"Do not fear." Surely there's a reason this imperative is more common than all the others in the Bible. It may not be the greatest commandment, but it is repeated more often than anything about loving others, and yes, even loving God Himself. It's also indirectly referred to countless times. The Israelites stockpiling manna despite God telling them … Continue reading The Temptation of Fear →

Please understand that it is not my intention to seem harsh or offensive by the conclusions of this article. I genuinely struggle with these concepts myself, so I am writing to myself just as much as I write to others.  Current cultures of luxury and excess have rebranded Christianity to be a worldly pursuit of … Continue reading When God isn’t “Good” →

Imagine this scenario: You and a friend have each had the same work-from-home jobs together for your entire careers so far. You work for the same company but in separate departments with different responsibilities. You have different bosses, but they might as well be the same person. They each have the same style of predictable, … Continue reading A New Boss →

When was the last time you woke up telling yourself that you were about to have the best day of your life? I watched a podcast last night that inspired me to try it this morning and, let me tell you, that was the most uninspiring get-out-of-bed speech that's ever been spoken. And I'm what … Continue reading The Smurf →

I would be a very good conversation buddy to a hippie from the 60's with this article (for every stereotypical reason). I'm fully aware of that, and no offense to any hippies out there, but I assure you I'm completely sober right now. Notice the lack of words like "dude," "copacetic," and "psychedelic." Now that I've given … Continue reading Rhyme and Reason →

The way I see it, growing up can be broken down into three main stages. Each can be related to a level of maturity in our walks with Christ. STAGE ONE: Living with the Parents Life is pretty simple in this stage (although we don't fully understand just how simple until we reach stage two). … Continue reading Growing Up →

"Which represents money best spent: luxurious possessions or a good story to tell?" I posted this question on my Facebook wall a couple weeks ago. Every comment was in favor of the latter -- and with good reason. I wish someone would stand up and proclaim a Rolex to be a better use of $15,000 than, say, a … Continue reading Time is Money →