All Articles for Growing in Your Faith

losing patience

Losing Your Patience At Home? 5 Tips for Fin...

Finding patience at home is one of the hardest parts of this quarantine life. My impatience grows as my cabin fever increases.

bacon

Fighting Skunks With Bacon

There can be a lot of rottenness in the world. At times, it’s so obvious and undeniable it’s nearly enough to knock you for a loop.

growing your faith in college

How to Stay Christian at a Christian College

Christian college isn't a guarantee that students will keep the faith. A thriving relationship with God doesn't happen simply by immersion.

feeling abandoned

Do You Feel Abandoned by God?

The first two years of widowhood, God seemed distant and silent. Then I discovered the problem.

cultural differences

We Moved Our Family and Changed Their World

One day David and his wife, Meg, realized they wanted their family to see that the world is a more diverse place than what they were experiencing.

Searching for Significance in the World of Social Media

Nobody Liked My Tweet! Searching for Signifi...

People spend hours tweaking their digital persona in a search for significance. Yet is social media the best place to look?

Why does God allow suffering?

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

These basic principles will help you and your family understand the biblical reasons for tragedy.

New Year's Resolutions for Moms

A New Year’s Resolution List for Every Mom

Here’s to giving your best to God—and your family—in the year ahead.

Christmas

The Unexpected Christmas Gift

The real unexpected gift wasn’t the money or groceries, but an increase in our faith.

When You Don't Feel Like Giving Thanks

When You Don’t Feel Like Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving can be a difficult reminder of the struggles we face, but there is comfort in the promises to come.

Bill Cosby and our secret selves

Bill Cosby and Our Secret Selves

Like so many, I groaned at the disparity: Perfect, hilarious TV family. Lurid, devastating real life.

Grateful woman

Gratefulness for the Small Things … Like W...

We are completely dependent on our all-powerful God, who generously gives us every gift we possess.

Beautiful scars - my grace is sufficient

Beautiful Scars

I noted something refreshingly real about Princess Eugenie’s choice of gown. From the front, she showed she was a princess. From the back, she showed she was a person like the rest of us.

How to pull out of a slump

7 Ways to Pull Out of a Slump

Restore your energy and zest for life with these tips.

Fathers

Living in the Smile of the Father

Achieving success starts with knowing you have your father's approval.

Living according to God's Word

Living Within the Limits

Difficulties should push us toward God's Word, not toward redefining the rules.

Looking for awesome

Looking for Awesome in All the Wrong Places

God created us with a capacity for awe. Where you look for it will shape the direction of your life.

Loving the prodigal

Loving the Prodigal Who Seems to Hate You

The way we love sinful people must be patterned after the rugged love God has for us.

Walking by faith

No Cinderella Story

Life is no fairy tale of magic formulas, but instead it requires walking by faith.

Obeying God

Obeying God Even When You Don’t Feel Like...

It is only as my view of Him increases that I will be more able to view my issues with a proper perspective.

God working in my life

Old Stories With a New Connection

Years later, my wife and I realized a new way God had answered our individual prayers before we were married.

Overcome discouragement

How to Overcome Discouragement

Perhaps no other human emotion is so commonly experienced and yet so infrequently exposed.

Easy to remember bible verses

Remembering God in the Mundane Events of the...

Here are 10 well-known, easy-to-remember verses to help us keep our hearts trained on God.

Finding God

Finding God in the ‘White Space’

When we live a life of constantly reaching for the next big thing, we miss the greatness God is calling us to right here, right now.

Moving

10 Ideas: Preparing Your Heart for a Smooth...

How to successfully navigate your family’s journey to a new home.

10 Ideas: Reflecting the Fruit of the Spirit

10 Ideas: Reflecting the Fruit of the Spirit

How long since you’ve had a checkup to assess your spiritual health?

Verses from the bible

10 Verses to Help You Watch Your Words

Don't say something permanently painful because you are temporarily ticked off.

Relationship with God

3 Steps to Spiritual Wellness

If we are totally focused on the material things of this life and this world, we will miss out on most of what life is all about.

Thriving in a hostile culture

5 Qualities for Thriving in a Hostile Cultur...

As our society and culture become increasingly hostile toward Christianity, here are five spiritual qualities that become especially important.

Defending the oppressed

A Commitment to Truth Means Defending the Op...

The story of a man who stood up to intervene for the defenseless.

Tone your faith

A Workout for the Spiritual Body, Part 2

We need a spiritual workout center to develop our "faith muscles."

Tone your faith

A Workout for the Spiritual Body, Part 1

There's no gain without pure, hard pain.

Anatomy of a Grumbler

Complaining shows a loss of perspective, a failure to remember who is in control.

Choices and regrets

Anticipating Deathbed Regrets

A man needs to constantly remind himself that his real job is his wife and children.

Accountability

Are You Accountable to Anyone?

One of the best ways to protect yourself against immorality is submitting your life to the scrutiny of another person.

Faith

Are You Hearing Lions Roar? You Should Be

The spiritual victory will go to those Christians who are willing to enter enemy territory and engage in warfare.

Think about life

Are You Tired of Being in a Rut?

Ecclesiastes can help us change the way we think about life.

woman looking upset. Her head is down and her hand on her head.

Attitude Check – Do You Have a Heart P...

Four suggestions on how to overcome the sin of grumbling and complaining.

Faith

Can Faith Survive in a Post-Christian Cultur...

Our culture is hostile to Christian faith.

Know and love God

Created for Intimacy

We have a hole in our hearts that only God can fill.

Loss of material possessions

Don’t Touch My Stuff

Knowing that God is our Provider helps us to hold our material possessions with an open hand.

Fierce storms

Fierce Storms and Fresh Reminders

Two close calls remind Barbara and me of how God is working in our lives.

Gardening

Gardening Is Good for the Soul, Right?

Pulling weeds from my flower beds taught me an important spiritual lesson.

Small group

Getting Unstuck

If you're ready to go deeper in your spiritual journey, a small group may be just what you need.

God asks

God Asks Us to be Intolerant

Many of us are settling for the sidelines of life—we don’t really want the Lord to give us anything too hard to do.

God where are you

God, Where Are You?

God has things He can teach us while He's seemingly MIA and we're wandering about or feeling abandoned.

Gratitude

Gratitude is a Choice

To really experience His peace, we must come to Him with thankful hearts.

Find my mission

Great Things Happen When We Dream

A godly vision will be fueled by what could be and what should be.

Hearing God in the storm

Hearing the Voice of God in the Storm

Twelve ways to respond to God in the wake of natural disasters.

A new normal

I Don’t Want to Be Normal

As our family grew, we began to question our comfortable, normal lifestyle. Had God’s gifts replaced God Himself?

Mentor

I Needed a Mentor

How could I invest in others if nobody was investing in me?

Surrender to God

I Surrender Almost All

God likes us to do things on His terms—which, of course, goes totally against my desire for control.

Faithfulness

If You Want More, You Must be Faithful in Li...

Many are on a career path, but few seem to be on a character path.

God knows me

I’m Not an Expert on Myself

God’s Word gives me a true diagnosis of whom I am.

Truth of God's Word

It Takes Courage to Stand for the Truth of G...

When marriage is hard and parenting is harder, stand for the truth.

The power of our conscience

The Power of Our Conscience

Your past is not the final word. Let your invisible accuser drive you toward God and not away from Him.

Doctrine of Providence

Quote by James C. Petty

giving thanks

Why Is Saying “Thank You” So Har...

Giving thanks is not just for God’s glory—it’s for our good.

God, Holy Spirit

When Our Issues Become Bigger Than Our God

It is only as my view of Him increases that I will be more able to view my issues with a proper perspective.

Christian Literature Classics

Gary Thomas’ Personal List of Favorite...

List of Christian literature classics that address humility and virtue.

Faith

When Waves of Doubt Rock Your Faith, DonR...

Three steps to take if the Scriptures seem like a dry textbook and you’re no longer sure Jesus is real.

Words can hurt

Taming Our Tongues and Training Our Brains

It’s easy to fool ourselves about how our words can hurt others.

Seek God's help

Yearning for Peace When Life Falls Apart

If we could handle the messes of life on our own, we’d never have to seek God’s help in managing it.

love of Christ

What It Means to Be a Member of God’s...

Because of what Christ has done for us, we are free to enjoy Him, to live for Him, and to confidently trust Him to meet our every need.

trusting God

Your Best Thoughts Are God-Thoughts

When troubles come our way, we can be stressed and upset, or we can trust God.

Gratitude

Gratitude Will Change You

Four ways to cultivate a mindset that positively influences every aspect of your life.

Holy Spirit

The Shy Member of the Trinity

The Holy Spirit doesn’t turn attention on Himself, but He gives you the power to pursue God's mission in your life.

Devotional

God Has Not Forgotten You: A 31-Day Devotion...

When life is turned upside down, learn how to turn to God.

if only

Two Traps to Avoid: “If Only” and “Wha...

When these issues dominate my thoughts, I succumb to selfishness and fear.

how to know God

To Know Him Is to Love Him

Just as I love my husband more as I know him better, my feelings for God grow as I grow in my knowledge of Him.

pleasures that God created

When God Given Pleasures Become Bad

What kind of pleasures will you give your heart to, and what will you ask of those pleasures?

believing the gospel

Three Gospel Resolutions

Many of us pursue moral improvement in a way that is not founded in the centrality of the gospel and the reality of the cross of Christ.

Unanswered prayers

Unanswered Prayer

Rather than getting easier, my faith trials become more difficult with time.

Value of accountability

The Value of Accountability

Friends launch each other into unknown territory and walk hand in hand where there is no map.

Second chances

The God of Second Chances

When we stop running from God and earnestly obey Him, our messy lives become the canvas for His incredible glory.

Remembering 9/11

Remembering the Lessons of 9/11

Experiences like this have a way of stripping you bare and forcing you to focus on what's most important to you.

rejoice in God

Would I Hope in God?

A dangerous encounter on a dark back street opened my eyes again.

searching for happiness

Why Am I Not Happy?

The search for happiness based on our circumstances in life inevitably creates a restlessness and discontent in our souls.

coping with infertility

What Would It Take to Make You Happy?

My infertility reminded me of something we all need to learn: the source of true contentment and happiness.

comparison trap

Top Dog

It is so very easy for us to find our glory in being better than someone else.

Joy

Tidings of Joy

True joy is founded on truth. It is based on our knowledge of God's goodness to us as revealed in both shallow and deep experiences, and as revealed in his Word.

three goals for new year

Three Uncommon Goals for a New Year

Devote this coming year to becoming all God meant you to be and to enjoying Him and the great goodness He has given you.

Complaining

The Price We Pay When We Complain

These three steps can help keep our complaints constructive.

guiding hand of God

The Hand That Guides

In the darkness and pain of personal cries, we must have the touch of our unseen Father to keep us oriented.

Power of words

The Beehive Hairdo

At age five I learned an important lesson on the power of the tongue.

Struggling with temptation

Struggling With Temptations and Fantasies

Loving God with all your mind helps guard against falling to temptation.

Spiritual race

Running to Win

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we're in a spiritual race. What kind of runner are you?

Find your identity in Christ

What Does It Mean to Find Your Identity in C...

If you believe what God’s Word says about you is true, your identity is rooted in something that can’t be changed and can’t go away.

Jesus warned of three weeds

Pulling Weeds from the Garden of Our Lives

Beware of these three weeds that can choke out your harvest.

Faith

The Perfect Lover

When loving gets hard, think on the one true Lover who is continually in pursuit of your heart.

Healing a difficult relationship

The Choice Between Cursing and Blessing

It never occurred to me to bless the person in this difficult relationship—that thought went against every natural urge within me.

Questions about Christians

The Thorny Questions Nobody Wants to Face

Here are some challenging questions that I've been grappling with.

what to do with regret

How Do I Handle My Regrets?

Regrets are scars of the soul. We carry them around, and sometimes they itch. So we scratch them--we replay our thoughtless deeds and hurtful conversations.

Healthy heart

10 Ideas: Do You Have a Healthy Heart?

For regular spiritual check-ups, ask yourself these questions.

What it means to be good

What it Means to be Good

At the heart of goodness is obedience. Test yourself and your family in four key areas.

Christian living

The 7 Nonnegotiables of Life

We must spend time on the nonnegotiables so that our lives may glorify God. Each principle is centered on the Lord, bringing the glory to Him alone.