Is Mercy More Powerful Than Murder?
Forgiveness is easier said than done. I was thinking about that again this morning as I watched the news reports on yesterday’s sentencing of the parents of Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley. Both parents read statements to the court and…
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Parenting’s Priority One. . .
This morning, I read this hard-hitting quote from Voddie Baucham: “If I teach my son to keep his eye on the ball, but fail to teach him to keep his eyes on Christ, I have failed as a father.” If…
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It Is Finished. . .
Good Friday. . . thank you Jesus. As we grapple with the glorious and almost incomprehensible meaning of today, spend time looking at this David Arms painting that’s in our house. Arms writes this about his painting “Free”: The cross frees us from bondage…
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Easter Weekend and Teen Anxiety
During yesterday’s conversation over coffee with friends, I was asked a very general question about kids, parents, and parenting in today’s world. The conversation quickly turned to how new ways of parenting (think “helicopter”, “lawnmower”, “snowplow”, etc.) have done little…
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Cultivating Wisdom & Discernment: Some Help and an Infographic.
I have no idea how he does it. The guy. . . his name actually is Guy. . . takes a huge bite of a chef’s signature creation, and somehow is able to engage his discriminating taste buds in ways…
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Thoughts on Holy Week and the Cross
Easter week has gotten better as I’ve gotten older. In fact, as I’ve gotten older life has gotten worse in many respects, thus leading to new experiences of the joy of Holy Week and all that it means. When I…
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Just Jesus?
Truth be told, I get a bit nervous when I hear a youth worker say that the goal of their youth ministry is to “just bring people to Jesus.” I don’t question the intentions. I don’t question the fact that…
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Decision-Making and our Kids
This morning, I logged on to my Google News Feed and checked out the stories that came up with the key words “Teen,” “Teenager,” “Youth”, “Adolescent,” and “Adolescence.” Sadly, the news that pops up is usually less than positive. While…
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The Latest on Teens and Social Media
Confession. . . and this one’s easy to admit. I watch “All Creatures Great and Small” on PBS. And, I like it. . . a lot. Earlier this week when this latest season of the show came to an end,…
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Discerning Culture. . . And Distress
It was twenty years ago this month that my kids had just about had enough. We had hunkered down together in the family room to watch Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s halftime show during the 2004 Super Bowl. As a…
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Super Bowl Commercials: We Have An Idea!
Does marketing work? You bet! If it didn’t work, then why are companies willing to fork out $7 million for a 30-second commercial spot during this year’s Super Bowl? If you’re one of those parents or youth workers who plan…
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Six Marks Of The NYMS Youthworker Training Event
It was so good the first time around that we’re doing it again! The Northeast Youth Ministry Summit will be happening March 4 to 7 in the beautiful Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. So far, we have youth workers registered from…
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