We are on the brink of Christmas. Many people keep asking me if we are “ready.” The answer is of course, “No.” I would love to be one of those amazing people who have been prepped and ready for the big day for weeks, merely waiting in anticipation.…
Patrick Mahomes is 23 years old, fresh off his first full year as a starting quarterback in the NFL, and is already considered the most feared player in the game. He’s just won the NFL’s 2018/19 Most Valuable Player Award, the youngest to do so since Dan Marino in 1984.…
We’ve already plowed through the meat of the new school year. And if your life is anything like mine you’ve catapulted from the bustle of summer into the craziness of fall. My schedule is fuller (how is that possible?), overshadowed only by the packed calendars of my teenagers.…
Summer is over, students are back in school, and weekends are filled with football. Oh, how I love the fall. Having been in my current role less than two years, I am still in the early stages of the “figuring out the culture of our group” learning curve.…
In the News Washington, D.C.—Christians who are discouraged and disillusioned by the 2016 presidential campaign are being reminded not to give up. In response to a New York Times article that characterized evangelical Christians as despairing, Carmen Fowler LaBerge writes that the word “despair” should never apply to Jesus’ followers.…
Reaching Kids Experiencing Same Sex Attraction An article from Jonathan McKee at TheSource4YM.com “We are confident in our theology concerning sexuality. We are equally confident that how we’ve traditionally approached sexuality, and ministering to teenagers in all stages of their sexual identity, has been unintentionally hurtful, confusing, and alienating to a whole bunch of teenagers.”…
On a Friday night in 1998, after watching a comedy with friends at a movie theatre, my brother came home, kissed my mom goodnight, went into his room, and hung himself. We don’t know the exact reasons why Brandon took his life, but we know he wrestled with depression on a daily basis.…
Jack Anderson (not his name) thought it could never happen—at least not at his church. The color drained from his face when he received the call that a police investigation was in progress due to a report of sexual misconduct from one of his volunteers.…
The Center for Parent/ Youth Understanding posted this article recently about youth pastors feeling ill-equipped to help youth with mental health issues. You can read that article here. While we live in a culture that loves to brag about the cast on our leg, and is unashamed to share that we were up all night puking because of the flu, when it comes to mental health issues we are much quieter about the issues.…
It’s always been my belief that God talks to us in many ways. One of my mantras I use in my Christian life is “Does God Have A Sense of Humor?” The answer is, “Of course he does—just look in the mirror!”…
