New chapters are exciting, but also a bit scary. Moving to college was an important step for me, and it was part of being able to do things on my own. The disciples face a new chapter of their own that begins in the book of Acts.
Crossroads: Don’t Be Afraid
April 17, 2023 by Leave a Comment
The disciples were afraid. Jesus had been arrested and killed because of who he was. And the disciples were afraid that they, too, would be arrested and killed because they followed Jesus. So they hid, locking the doors and hoping people would forget about them.
Crossroads: The Lord Watches Over You
October 24, 2022 by
It’s almost Halloween, and this time of year tends to be a bit scarier than normal. People decorate their houses to look scarier, scary movies come on TV, and some people wear scary costumes on Halloween.
Crossroads: Waiting on the Lord
March 14, 2022 by
I find myself anxious a good bit of the time. I worry about what will happen, whether or not something will actually occur, and if things will turn out okay. It seems like Psalm 27 was written for worriers.
Connections 2.06.2022: The Fear of Fish
January 30, 2022 by
Frustrated and exhausted fishermen ended their long workday—their long worknight—cleaning their nets. They shook out the catch: nothing salable or edible, just a few minnows.
When We Have to Choose: The Indecisiveness Roadblock
January 19, 2022 by
God’s word is packed with informative insights for Christians who want to move around the roadblock of indecisiveness. In addition, many characters introduced to us in Scripture flesh out these insights in their lives.
Crossroads: Where is God?
October 18, 2021 by
When I was a child, bad thunderstorms used to terrify me. The rain was okay, but I was very afraid of the thunder and the lightning. Thunderstorms that happened at night were always the worst. There was no way I could sleep during them.
Connections 04.11.2021: Walk in the Light
April 4, 2021 by
When my daughter Samantha was in fifth grade, I accompanied her on a school field trip to Dahlonega, Georgia. One of the activities was touring the Consolidated Gold Mine.
Connections 03.17.2019: If They Only Knew
March 10, 2019 by
The opening verse of Genesis 15 intrigues me: “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’”
Meditations on Luke: “Do Not Be Afraid”
December 26, 2017 by
Over Christmas one of my daughters asked me a question. “Daddy, why is it that every time an angel shows up in the Bible, he always says, ‘Do not be afraid’?” I responded, “Well, what would you do if an angel suddenly appeared in your room one night?”
Connections 05.28.2017: Worrying about Worrying
May 21, 2017 by
I have two dogs. Or maybe they have me. One is named Rainey, the other Stevie. They’re both mixed breeds. They’re also both rescue dogs; we adopted them from animal shelters. Each is about six years old. They differ from each other in lots of ways. Rainey is black while Stevie is brown. Rainey loves people while Stevie is leery of them.
Praying When You Cannot Find the Words
March 7, 2017 by
“Prayer is a conversation, a ‘little talk with Jesus.’ Anyone can pray and everyone should pray.” While no relationship can survive without communication, we talk about prayer as if it is always simple and easy. We suggest that anyone can do it and at any time.
“Be Not Afraid”
January 24, 2017 by
A popular quote being passed around the internet says that no phrase appears in the Bible more times than “Be not afraid.” One version of the quote claims this phrase occurs 365 times, one for each day of the year. That’s a beautiful idea. Unfortunately, it’s not accurate.
Formations 12.18.2016: A Glimpse of Holiness
December 11, 2016 by
Angels almost always appear on the biblical scene saying, “Don’t be afraid.” And they are indeed frightening creatures, at least in the book of Revelation and other apocalyptic writings.
Crossroads: Do Not Fear
September 11, 2016 by
It has been fifteen years since September 11, 2001. For many of us, that was the day that the world changed. It seems like we lost something that day: a feeling of safety and that everything would be fine.
Crossroads: Rules vs. Grace
February 29, 2016 by
I love lists. I make to-do lists, grocery lists, lists of things to clean, etc. Whatever it is, if I can make it into a list, I probably have.
Formations 11.29.2015: Only Light
November 22, 2015 by
On November 12, a crowded marketplace in the Bourg al-Baragneh neighborhood in Beirut was bombed, leaving hundreds dead and injured in the worst attack Beirut has seen in years.
Crossroads: Praise the Lord!
October 26, 2015 by
Our youth group had a saying that we used to end our meetings each week: “God is good, all the time! All the time, God is good!” Good is good all of the time.
Uniform 07.05.2015: The Stranger Among Us
June 28, 2015 by
You are sitting with your friends, getting ready for Bible study. It’s a weekly event that you all look forward to—good company along with spiritual growth as you learn about God together. A visitor walks in.
Failing Forward
April 15, 2015 by
When I was in high school, I played flute in the band. I was not musically talented. Perhaps worst of all, I didn’t really even have any great desire to be good at playing the flute.
Faith: Barricaded and Buried
December 31, 2014 by
A few weeks ago I read that doomsday shelters are making a big comeback. Now, I’ve never been in one of these safe havens, but I am told they were all the rage fifty years ago.
Letter to the Dying Church
September 10, 2014 by
Dying. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about dying. How things die and people too. Dreams die. Traditions die. The roles we’ve played die. Marriages, friendships, partnerships, institutions, buildings. So many things pass away.
Formations 07.20.2014: Overcoming Fear
July 13, 2014 by
In a recent TEDx talk given in Arcadia, California, Olympia LePoint shared her personal story of overcoming great odds to accomplish her life’s goal of becoming a rocket scientist. LePoint explained that fear is often an obstacle that keeps us from reaching our goals.