If you love reading then the chances are you’re part of a book club, or you know a group of people who are. Many have discovered that reading and sharing with others makes the enjoyment complete: We connect with each other, grow in relationship with one another and read new …
It’s unfortunately common to hear that church is one of the hardest places to be in the midst of hardship. Maybe you have limped into church, weighed down by things like sadness, fear, or disappointment. Yet the place you hoped to find healing and refuge left you feeling hurt and …
My wife and I learned halfway through our first pregnancy that our son was not going to survive. A medical condition which we had never heard of introduced an agony we had never known. The doctors told us that our son would continue growing in the womb but would not …
The psalms are meant for God’s people as much as they were meant for the authors who wrote them. They are meant to encourage, strengthen, instruct, and empathize in the myriad trials, joys, pain, and praise that we experience. So, in Psalm 6 we have just that—a universal psalm for …
After days of debate, the Church of England voted in February to offer blessings in church to same-sex couples. Although ministers can choose not to do so, it puts them and their church families in an extremely difficult and painful position. One particularly difficult accusation that is often levelled at …
As Christians, it can be tempting to self-isolate in our mental-health struggles. We sometimes feel that we should have it all together so we can better serve our church family. But while it is important to cling to our joy in the Lord, it’s equally important to recognize and seek …
Every part of our stories is something caught between poetry and passing comments. One moment, the sun is rising and the birds are welcoming a new day as the breeze floats across the marshes. The next, you drop the almost-ready avocado you found at the grocery store and lament that …
When a family in your community experiences pregnancy loss, you and your church have a powerful opportunity to minister to and care for them. A great way to express your care is a “miscarriage care package.” It enables you to validate the grief and the life of their child, practically …
Every human pregnancy involves a mother and a father. A man and a woman contribute to conception. In most cases, a mother wants the father to take an active interest in the pregnancy and preparation for the baby's birth. Likewise, she often wants him to be a reassuring presence during …
There will be a day when every child of God will be invited to the one funeral that we will all want to attend: we will be invited to the funeral of death.
Yes, it really is true—death will die and eternally be no more. Along with it will …
