We live in a culture obsessed with appearances. Before leaving the house, many of us perform what's now called a "fit check"—that moment when we examine ourselves in the mirror or snap a quick selfie ...  Read More

The Great Costume Mix-UpHave you ever played dress-up? Maybe you put on a superhero cape and felt like you could fly, or you put on a crown and pretended to rule a kingdom. It’s fun to pretend, but ev...  Read More

John 15:1–8 (NIV)“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more ...  Read More

Have you ever watched something being tested to see if it really works? Maybe you’ve seen a toy get dropped over and over to make sure it won’t break, or a phone case get smashed to prove it can prote...  Read More

1 Peter 1:6–9 (NIV)In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—...  Read More

There's an interesting experiment you can do with precious metals. Take a shiny silver bowl—one that gleams and catches the light, looking every bit as valuable as you'd expect. At current market pric...  Read More

What is the good life? How do we know when we've arrived?In our social media-saturated world, the answers seem obvious. Wealth. Influence. Beauty. Power. A bigger house, a more attractive spouse, an e...  Read More

Ephesians 2:1–10 (NIV)As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spir...  Read More

Have you ever thought about what the “good life” would look like? Maybe you think about having your favorite food every day, playing games all the time, or never having to do homework again. That migh...  Read More

Life is hard. There's no getting around it. We stub our toes, face betrayal, endure heartache, and navigate relationships that disappoint us. From the minor frustrations of hitting every red light whe...  Read More

Have you ever built a tower out of blocks and then watched it fall down? Maybe somebody bumped the table. Maybe the dog ran by. Maybe you stacked it too high and it started to wobble. It can be funny,...  Read More

Romans 8:31–39What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along wi...  Read More