This is a story about a man named John Newton. He was born in London in 1725. His father was the commander of a merchant ship that sailed in the Mediterranean. Little was written about his mother, except that she taught John what he knew about God. She died when John was young. At the age of eleven, John began sailing on long voyages with his father.
Read more20 Inspiring Quotes About Christ's Powerful Love
God's love is amazing. Today, let's just soak in the goodness of that love. I pray the following words of truth will encourage and strengthen you. Here are twenty of my favorite quotes, from some of Christianity's great thinkers, on the love of God.
Read moreHow Receiving God's Gift, Like a Child, is the Only Way
I remember well the wondrous anticipation I experienced every Christmas Eve throughout my childhood. I couldn’t wait to get up the next morning and run out to the tree to see what was under it. In those years, it would still be dark outside when my brother, sister, and I would wake our parents on Christmas mornings.
Read more5 Ways to Seek Truth
We had been trying to teach our four-year-old the importance of telling the truth.
Jokingly, Derek told Trent that his nose would grow long, like Pinocchio's, if he told lies.
If only we had known then, what problems this would cause. Poor Trent. He really believed Derek- and no matter what else we said, he was still scared of his nose growing long. He also started checking out everyone else's noses. It wasn’t a healthy fear.
Read moreThe Importance of Grace in Parenting
I could hear my seven-year-old happily singing from the bathroom as I loaded the dishwasher. It was almost time to leave for school. His big sister pointed out that he’d been in there a long time, and that he was probably getting into stuff. It was the same suspicion I had. His bathroom shenanigans were usually no more harmful than the occasional overzealous application of his Daddy’s cologne- and sometimes, he used way too much toilet paper, causing the toilet to overflow. I’m an expert with the toilet plunger. I have a lot of practice.
Read more9 Ways to Extend Grace to Others
Showing grace to others is about showing kindness even when they don’t deserve it. God has shown such grace to us. We, in turn, are asked to show grace to each other. Here are nine ways to extend grace to others.
Read more10 Favorite Quotes on Grace
Grace. Unmerited favor from God, all because of Jesus Christ. It's a word I love to think about. I've combined some of my favorite quotes on the topic of grace with some photos I took last week. Enjoy!
Read moreHow We Can Approach God with Confidence
The day I got married, I met a charming elderly man in the parking lot at the church. His name was Joe Bananas. He stood by his black Cadillac, wearing a black suit, patiently waiting to take my husband’s grandparents home after the reception. He greeted me with an Italian accent and kisses on both cheeks.
Read moreSacred Stones
“Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her. “
-G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
The statement above, in its context, is part of a chapter in the book, Orthodoxy, called “The Flag of the World”. Chesterton talks about going back to the darkest roots of civilization and how the cities that have grown great are all knotted around some sacred stone. First, honor is paid to a spot and later it gains glory. The chapter, as a whole, is setting up the case for Christianity and the doctrine of the fall.
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