The Benefits of Ignoring Notifications

How many times do you check Twitter? What about Facebook? Don't forget Instagram. Like Pavlov's dog we are being trained with beeps, buzzes, and ...

Research Shows Gratitude Reduces Impatience

You've probably heard the humorous prayer of the impatient person: "Lord, please give me patience—right now!" Most of us struggle ...

Lessons from Apple Trees About Waiting on God

Pastor Keith Mannes of Highland Church, McBain, Michigan writes:

My wife's aunt Gladys has always had a little apple orchard at her home. But this ...

Cancer-stricken Author Learns to Walk at Turtle Speed

When Bruce Feiler, the best-selling author of nine books, got the devastating diagnosis of bone cancer in his thigh, his twin daughters were three-years-old. ...

The Art of Maple Sugaring Compared to the Discipleship Process

When it comes to syrup, there's a reason the real stuff is pricy. Through a slow and painstaking process, the traditional Native American art of maple ...

Vineyards Take Years to Produce a Good Harvest

On a recent visit to two California vineyards, author Margaret Feinberg discovered that vintners must adopt a long-term approach to their work. According ...

The Benefits of "Living Under the Pain"

In his book When Life Is Hard, pastor and author James MacDonald shares a valuable lesson he learned during his days as a basketball player. He writes: ...

Congregation of One Makes Big Decision

After his ordination in 1969, author and pastor Phillip Johnson received a call to serve one large church and ten smaller churches on the northern coast ...

Theologian Stanley Grenz on Bypassing Advent

Stanley Grenz writes in"Drive-Through Christmas”:

"On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me." Tony Bennett's voice ...

A History of Advent and Christmas Traditions

In an article for Christian History magazine, Elesha Coffman offers a fascinating history of Advent and Christmas traditions. While some might be tempted ...