Biblical Counsel for the Suddenly Unemployed

Like millions of other people in today’s workforce, I too once found myself suddenly and unexpectedly unemployed. I was doing well in my job; I liked the people I worked with, and they seemed to like me. But one day I was called into a tucked-away conference room by the boss and told that due …

A Year of Contrasts: Looking Back on 2018

It is not hyperbole to say that 2018 has been the Dickens-esque “best of times, worst of times” for our family with both its blessings and trials. It’s amazing to think how much pain, joy, and change one year could bring. All in all, I think we will remember 2018 as a year of contrast—contrast …

Thoughts in Memory of Peggie

There are very few people who leave as deep and as wide an impact upon the world as Peggie has.

Like a meteor which travels through the dark sky with beautiful brightness and intense heat just for a little while, and then upon impact leaves an impression so much deeper and wider than its own relatively small size, so Peggie Balcom shone ever so brightly in this dark world where she lived an intensely Christ-centered, joy-filled, other-minded life on this planet for 52 years.

Hannah: Prayerful Suffering

So far in our study series, “Suffering Saints: How Seemingly Bad Things Point Us to the Goodness of God,” we have seen through the life of Job that suffering is God-ordained. We've also seen through the story of Joseph how God uses suffering for our good if we are God’s children. Now we come to …

Joseph: Suffering for Good

A few months ago I started teaching a topical series at our church on Sunday evenings entitled, “Suffering Saints: How Seemingly Bad Things Point Us to the Goodness of God.” I have decided to post an abridged version of those messages here, partly to jump-start my goal of blogging again and partly to encourage those …

Job: God-ordained Suffering

A few months ago I started teaching a topical series at our church on Sunday evenings entitled, “Suffering Saints: How Seemingly Bad Things Point Us to the Goodness of God.” I have decided to post an abridged version of those messages here, partly to jump-start my goal of blogging again and partly to encourage those …

12 Years of Reflecting on Death

30 is too young to die. That’s what I thought on this day 12 years ago when my friend Dan was killed suddenly in a freak car accident. Now 30 years old myself, I feel the same today as I did then: 30 is too young to die. ...Or is it? I was 18 when …

Death: 5 Reasons to Pause

[This post is a revised version of an older article I wrote shortly after my grandfather’s passing.]  Jamie just OD’d. He’s probably dead. Those were the words in the text message from my uncle. My cousin had just died from a heroine overdose. He was 24 years old. That message came last Friday evening as …