identity (part 3): completely forgiven

The world wants us to believe that our worth comes from what we do. And it’s so easy to get sucked into believing this lie. There is pressure to get straight As, excel in sports and music, and be the best at everything you do. Your time can easily get sucked up trying to do everything you feel like people expect or want you to do. This has created a culture where we feel busy, tired, and...

identity (part 2): included in his family

Have you ever been told, “Don’t worry about what other people think about you”? I know this was something I heard many times. But how successful are we at following that advice? The reality is… We care about what others think of us! We want to be liked. We like to be included. But being left out is a part of life. We wish we could be in certain circles of friends. We wish we were good...

identity (part 1): loved extravagantly

Do you remember the scene from The Lion King where Simba is almost grown up, hanging out with Timon and Pumbaa in the wilderness, and he has a vision of his father speaking to him? “You’ve forgotten me.” Simba says, “No–how could I?” To which his father responds, “You’ve forgotten who you are and so forgotten me.” Simba was the rightful king, but he wasn’t living like it....

kavanah (part 5): live

It probably wasn’t a huge surprise to anyone that God cares about how we pray, study Scripture, and love others. If you’ve spent much time in Sunday School or youth group, you know these are some of the basic parts of living for Christ. But that’s why it’s essential we don’t stop there—because this fourth kavanah element is huge. Are you ready for it to rock your world? Not only does...

kavanah (part 4): love

Our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationship with others. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he responded with two: love God and love people (Matt. 22:37-39). John even went as far as to say, “Whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 Jn. 4:20). When we look at living our lives...

kavanah (part 3): study

Have you ever taken note of what the Bible says about itself? I did a little word study on that once, and here’s a brief snapshot of what I found that the authors of Scripture said about the Word: Your Word is flawless, more precious than gold, sweeter than honey; it’s my delight, my counselor, my comfort; it’s eternal, boundless, trustworthy, true, and right it’s a lamp for my feet and a...