Lord God Almighty and our Heavenly Father, we ask for Your powerful presence in our 72 public school campuses here in Plano, as well as the private schools, those homeschooling, and thousands across our country. Above and beyond the reasonable boundaries of our walls and security (Psalm 127:1), we ask for Your protection over our … Continue reading Prayer for Teachers
Running, climbing, and dancing
Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer, breathes and lives dance. One year ago, she went to the Boston Marathon with her husband, Air Force Captain Adam Davis, to celebrate his safe return from the war in Afghanistan. But 6,500 miles away from the war zone, a bomb went off in their own neighborhood. The bomb severely damaged her left foot … Continue reading Running, climbing, and dancing
All for Love
The high priest (Caiaphas) said to Jesus, “By the living God I place You under oath: tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God!” “You have said it,” Jesus told him. “But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the … Continue reading All for Love
Who is the real Jesus?
If we see Jesus only as we want to see Him, we deny the reality of His life on earth, His death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead. Not every image of Jesus is the real Jesus… There's the Conservative Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges, for family values, and owning firearms. There's … Continue reading Who is the real Jesus?
Second Chances
The famous Dutch painter, Vincent van Gogh, tossed away the truth imparted to him in his Christian home and sank into a deep depression and destructive lifestyle. By the grace of God, he later began to embrace God's love again and found he was given a second chance. Van Gogh's life took on hope, and … Continue reading Second Chances
The “R” Word
Over the years, the “R” word has developed a bad reputation. Repentance has often been used as a threat rather than an invitation—spoken as though it were the doorway into eternal life rather than a gracious warning from a loving God. As a result, repentance has been confused with the Gospel itself. But when repentance … Continue reading The “R” Word
Why Bother with the Church?
Over the years, you’ve probably heard people say, “I love Jesus, but I don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” Recently, we asked some people why they aren't involved with the church and got some pretty honest answers. Here are a few of the responses: “My parents MADE me go as a kid. I … Continue reading Why Bother with the Church?
His Eye is on the Sparrow
Those in other parts of the world - and probably even my city - would consider some of my daily anxieties silly because I've never had to wonder about my next meal(s) or worry about an empty closet to keep me and my family warm. From a purely physical perspective of basic human necessities of … Continue reading His Eye is on the Sparrow
Wisdom for a world gone wild
Contrary to popular opinion and New Years' optimism, the world is not getting any better. Read any year-end summaries of 2013 global events and people (Time, WSJ, Yahoo, Dave Barry, and even Facebook) and you'll see there are still wars (Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan) and rumors of wars (Iran, South Korea, Pakistan). There are still murders (Trevon Martin, … Continue reading Wisdom for a world gone wild
Jesus is so… yesterday.
I remember it was last August, in the heat of summer with 100+ temperatures in Texas, I saw my first glimpse of preparations for Christmas. The store where I was shopping had already cleared out the seasonal section to begin the merchandising build up for Christmas shoppers. Since then, we have had weeks of anticipation … Continue reading Jesus is so… yesterday.
following Jesus 