By: Olivia Meade “Kill them with kindness.” That’s a phrase we’ve all heard; maybe we’ve even said it from time to time. It isn’t wrong to be kind. We certainly should treat others with benevolence and seek to show honor. But Christlike kindness carries much greater meaning than just “being nice” to someone. We shouldn’t “kill them with kindness” to prove a point, but rather, offer loving-kindness to others in the name of Christ, expecting nothing in return. Receiving Kindness The Bible has a lot to say about kindness. Not only is it a characteristic (or attribute) of God, but it’s also p ..read more

Waiting for the God Who Waits By: April Bennett This morning, one of my children asked why I had rearranged something in the kitchen. I started to explain and was arrested halfway through the first sentence by a curious “What?” from another of my children walking into the room. I began again. I think I made it three quarters through the sentence before my third child ran in. Another “What??” I took a deep breath. Of course it was an opportunity to teach my children manners, but that moment also revealed the impatience in my heart. I wanted to huff and show my frustration. Such a tiny, insi ..read more

By : Bailey Queen When we are looking through the attributes in the Fruit of the Spirit, a word that resonates with all of us that we have experienced at one point is peace. We can think about past experiences that gave us peace, whether that is when you looked out on the mountaintop and gaze upon the endless range, found some relief in stressful situation, or thought back to a fond moment in your life. Peace is something that we can all say we have experienced. We think of it as an emotion or a way to describe a moment or season in life. For the Christian, what does peace mean? Not just t ..read more

By: Jeremy Berry Crazy Little Thing Called Love Whether it’s the Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody or Boyz II Men’s love anthem I’ll Make Love to You, the topic of love is no stranger to song. Jane Austin, Margret Mitchell, and George Lucas are all artists crafting stories that depict people (and Wookiees) driven by love. Now, creating a story is not just for fiction; it’s what we do daily. In our interactions and relationships, we are often the protagonists, and our life is the story. Fact or fiction—love is the engine of storytelling, and in both, we either want, fear, or long for love ..read more

By: Corey Bonasso If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time (or even if you haven’t), there’s a good chance you have heard of the “Fruit of the Spirit.” You may even be able to recite the complete list from memory. In summary, the Fruit of Spirit consists of nine characteristics evident in a person living out their faith in Jesus Christ and demonstrating that they love and follow him. This article marks the beginning of a new series in which we will explore these attributes individually. These nine traits are listed in Galatians 5:22–23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodn ..read more

By: Jeremy Berry I sat on the edge of the bed; my heart was pounding as I watched my hope seemingly unravel. There was a deep anxiety and even fear in what I witnessed. For months I heard that this could happen, though I never thought it would. Of course, only being 17 years of age, what could I do? I stared into the 13-inch television, waiting, sweating, pacing, anything to keep me from yelling. The rest of family was asleep. How could they sleep!? How could they not care about what was happening? Then suddenly, the inner chaos went silent. I almost stopped breathing as all of my senses w ..read more

By: Jason Cook The following is a poem I wrote reflecting on the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15: 11 – 32. It is part of a larger series of poems I have written about fatherhood and faith. Where is Your Dad? I love you son, The Father cried.  I want what’s mine, The son replied. My heart is broken,  Son, just stay. And then the son ran, Dad, I have to go away.  The days pass by, All without joy.  How will he make it? Where is my boy? The days pass by, Home just before the sun. Finally, free from Him, Life has just begun. Reckless abandon,  Until the fund ..read more

By: Olivia Meade The beginning of the book of Genesis paints a beautiful picture of God’s character through his act of creation. In Genesis 1, we find a list of all the good things God made. Then, Genesis 2 offers more precise detail of this good creation, particularly the creation of man and woman. We read of a garden full of beauty, goodness, and truth. All seems to be well—nearly perfect—until it isn’t. We all know what comes next in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve disobeyed, and sin marred their sweet communion with both God and creation. When God asked what happened, Adam answered, “The woman ..read more

By: Josh Tucker Honor your father and mother. Fathers, bring your children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:1–4). The most natural means of Church growth is the family unit. God commands man to be fruitful and multiply. One of the primary purposes of the institution of marriage is the propagation of the church through the natural means of generation. Raising children is one of the most important of God’s commands. There is no future for a marriage, church, community, or nation that does not produce children. Christians ought to give serious thought to the first of G ..read more

By: Jeremy Berry I am a product of a divorced home and my two homes were drastically different. When I lived with mom, the word “random” really is the most fitting description for each day. We were not disciplined on breakfast or bedtime. When mom gave a time for when she would be somewhere or be home, it was more of a general time frame, always an “ish” tagged on. On the other side of my life was my father. A military man who had the saying, “If you are not 15 minutes early then you're late.” There were strict times to awake up, to lay down, dinner was at 6, and you get the idea. It was ..read more