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We may think we see a painful situation clearly. Then, God gives more light. Are there things you look back on, certain you have all the information? For a long time, that’s how I saw something that happened in second grade. Then God made beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3) and strength from weakness. He is my God of miracles. Before I get to that, you might be wondering what I mean by “dropping” Jesus. I don’t mean that figuratively. I literally dropped Jesus on the floor in ch

No matter how an event resurfaces, our Savior understands. He was there before, and He’s with us now. He overcame all things, and He helps us overcome. "Hide" by Elisabeth Handelsby A Night at Camp It’s late on the last night of church camp, and I can’t find my car. I’m tired and just want to go to bed, but even after I finally get settled, I can’t sleep. My adrenaline is high, and my stomach’s in my throat. After tossing and turning for hours, I get up for a drink of water,

Jesus saw beyond behavior and ministered with patience and faith to the one. "Does anyone know anything about 'Good Shepherds?'" That was my segue into John 10:1-18 in a morning scripture study class with teens. A student raised his hand. “They gather their sheep at the gate of their enclosure every night and check for wounds. Then, they minister to each one before sheltering them at night.” That was many years ago, but my throat still catches when I think of it. As my stude

Conflict in faith settings can feel especially awkward (or even painful). Reaching out to resolve a misunderstanding can bring healing, but without humility and care, it can make things worse. Here are a few ideas for finding peace when things get sticky: Helpful: Ask ahead of time: “Can we talk? I have a concern.” Choose a calm time and place, and approach the conversation with steady words and open body language. Not helpful ↓ Springing an emotionally charged conversation o

I thought I was taking my fears to God, but something was missing—because I often felt more anxious after praying. Gethsemane by Jorge Cocco It sounds terrible to say, "I feel worse after praying." Especially considering this verse: God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. —2 Timothy 1:7   If that’s true, then how could prayer bring anxiety instead of peace? For a long time, I didn’t know. Sometimes, I stopped pray

Loving God and being fully invested in our worship and service at church doesn’t prevent flawed interactions between imperfect people. Sometimes, resolving conflict is easy. Other times, it’s not—and it may even require a radical change of heart or perspective. Beautiful artwork @kaylouisedoodles 10 Ways to Respond When Loving Someone at Church Feels Hard 1.   God knows all the details of hurtful situations—friends don’t. He can help us know when to ask for forgiveness, set b

Simple planning, shared leadership, and a Christ-centered focus make church camps meaningful and memorable—without burnout or cringe. Artwork by Emily Harper Mention “church camp,” and adults often react in extremes. Some light up enthusiastically, recalling joyful memories from their youth. Others groan. “I LOVE camp.” “I HATE camp.” I’ve heard both—almost equally. Those reactions, and my own experiences, have led me to this question: How can we make church camps spiritually

It can be easy to see an unhappy camper as a problem to fix rather than a person to love. But what would Jesus do? Church-camp goers come in all forms—some youth count down the days to go, while others count down the hours until they can go home. Emotional stress at camp can come from changing friendships, shifting hormones, a faith crisis, or simply physical and social exhaustion (especially for introverts!). Whatever the reason, here are a few practical ways to anticipate a