Some say there were two thieves crucified on Golgotha, but I believe there were Three

In the ultimate act of sacrifice, Jesus robbed the Enemy of every claim he ever had on our lives. He stole all our shame and guilt, and gave us back our lives so that we could live in true freedom.

The real scandal of Jesus’ work on the cross is found not only in what it gives but also in what it steals. The Grace of God robs the enemy of his ability to shame us. It robs death of its sting. And it robs sin of its power to destroy.
 
We’ve all felt the weight of shame and brokenness. Like the prodigal [ … ]

God Loves a Heart on Fire

What can move your faith from a principle you learn to a passion you experience? According to Samuel Rodriguez and Dr. Robert Crosby, the answer might be found in a surprising place: the Latino church. As the fastest growing minority in America, Latinos are impacting church culture through vibrant worship, fervent prayer, and a commitment to change the world–one soul at a time.

As a follower of Jesus, has your soul been truly set afire?

Christian leaders are witnessing a remarkable phenomenon, kindled first in the Latino/Hispanic community and spreading like wildfire throughout the global church.

Latinos are much discussed in the United States for their [ … ]

“Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience – or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”
― Jane Austen, Sense and SensibilityJust a few years after their father’s business scandal shatters their lives, Jane and Celia Woodward find themselves forced out of their San Francisco tea shop. The last thing Jane wants is to leave their beloved shop on Valencia Street, but when Celia insists on a move to Austin, Texas, the sisters pack up their kid sister Margot and Jane’s tea plants, determined to start over yet again.But life in Austin isn’t all sweet tea and breakfast tacos. Their unusual living situation is challenging and unspoken words begin to fester between Jane and Celia. When Jane [ … ]

An ideal sanctuary and a dream come true–that’s what Margaret Lane feels as she takes in God’s gorgeous handiwork in Mount Rainer National Park. It’s 1927 and the National Park Service is in its youth when Margie, an avid naturalist, lands a coveted position alongside the park rangers living and working in the unrivaled splendor of Mount Rainier’s long shadow.

But Chief Ranger Ford Brayden knows too well how awe-inspiring nature can quickly turn deadly. Ford is still haunted by his father’s death on the mountain, and the ranger takes his work managing the park and its growing crowd of visitors seriously. The job of watching over an idealistic Senator’s daughter with few practical survival skills seems a [ … ]

In a shallow light-speed world, how can we really know and be known by another person?  How do we make true friends?

The Digital Age is all about change, but the need for true friendship never changes.  We are designed for real engagement with others—for affirmation that goes beyond a simple “like” on social media, for connection over meals, for hope and excitement about the future. Above all, we need to be known and accepted for who we are. But how do we find and maintain this kind of friendship in a fluid and frenetic culture?

In Known, Dick and Ruth Foth offer inspiration and proven practices that build relationships through personal storytelling, affirmation, covenant, and dreaming.  They draw on years [ … ]

In a World that Thrives on Fear, Have Faith

Terrorism. Racism. Refugees. Political vitriol. Our culture is driven by fear. Compared to all previous generations, we are more safe, live longer, hurt less, and earn more. Yet, we are more afraid than ever.

Our faith has fallen prey to this culture of fear. Fear slips into our souls, leaving us not only afraid, but on edge and constantly anxious. No longer a safe harbor, a source of strength, and a bastion for love, faith has become a caricature of the real thing. We are left wondering, questioning, even disillusioned.

We face a defining moment. Will we cave in to fear or rise in faith? Stephan Bauman, the [ … ]

You Can’t Really Live Without It
 
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, kjv)Tired of living half a life—or even a waking nightmare? Struggling to find meaning in a job you don’t like? Facing graduation or mid-life changes in a faltering economy? Wishing you could rekindle a dream you gave up long ago?

It’s time to get your vision checked!

In this practical, energizing guide, pastor and author Craig Groeschel shows how to live life fully by finding, naming, and achieving your unique, God-given goal. The secret: knowing your chazown, a Hebrew word for “vision,” “dream,” or “revelation.”

You’ll see how to identify your chazown by taking a fresh look at your core values, spiritual gifts, [ … ]

In spite of their differences, Trey Walker Stafford knows he owes his life to cowboy and legendary rancher Sam Stafford—the uncle who rescued him after his parents’ death. Trey had left the Double S Ranch to pursue music against Sam’s wishes, but returns to central Washington when he learns he’s the best match for a procedure that could save Sam’s life. Although Trey’s found country music fame and success, he’s also endured the tragic loss of his wife. He croons about love, but struggles with a yawning emptiness he can’t explain.

Overwhelmed by a growing list of challenges, but mistrustful of Stafford men, single mother Lucy Carlton reluctantly accepts Trey’s help to revive her crumbling farm [ … ]

Living Out the Word Made Flesh
 
“Sixty years ago I found myself distracted,” Eugene Peterson writes. “A chasm had developed between the way I was preaching from the pulpit and my deepest convictions on what it meant to be a pastor.”And so began Peterson’s journey to live and teach a life of congruence—congruence between preaching and living, between what we do and the way we do it, between what is written in Scripture and how we live out that truth.

Nothing captures the biblical foundation for this journey better than Peterson’s teachings over his twenty-nine years as a pastor. As Kingfishers Catch Fire offers a never-before-published collection of these teachings to anyone longing for [ … ]

The World Does Not Define You!
Nobody said your life would be easy! And the older you get, the more difficult it seems to become. Deep down you may know your value as a person isn’t defined by wearing cool brand clothes, scoring points for a sports team, or even by having a huge number of social media followers. And you’re right! Your identity resides in something—in fact, someone—much greater than anything this world can offer: The only identity worth having…is found in Jesus Christ!

American sports icon, Tim Tebow, knows firsthand what it feels like to face pressure head-on. In Know Who You Are. Live Like It Matters, he shares the wisdom he’s learned–not from what the world says, but from what [ … ]