Step Into Significance

Let’s face it—loving difficult people isn’t easy. In fact, it may be one of the hardest things Jesus ever asked us to do. Maybe someone betrayed your trust. Maybe they lied about you, criticized you, or deeply wounded you. Everything inside you wants to protect yourself—or maybe even get even. That’s human nature. But Jesus […]

Not long ago, I got up in the middle of the night and headed to the pantry for a snack. On the way, I stubbed my toe on the bed. Man, it hurt! I bruised it pretty badly but went back to bed and forgot about it until the next day. Until Tamara and I […]

America looked very different when I was growing up. I knew the names of nearly every family on our street. Today, many people know their neighbors’ Wi-Fi password before they know their neighbors’ names. Somewhere along the way, we’ve become disconnected from one another, and the effects are showing up in our homes, our communities, […]

In April of 1985, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, I was scheduled to preach several hours away. Instead, I canceled the meeting, bought her flowers, and went to be with her. When she saw me, she burst into tears and said, “Jimmy, could you ever forgive me for trying to crush […]

In April of 1985, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. At the time, I was scheduled to preach several hours away. Instead, I canceled the meeting, bought her flowers, and went to be with her. When she saw me, she burst into tears and said, “Jimmy, could you ever forgive me for trying to crush […]

Everyone desires a fulfilling life. We long for meaningful relationships, strong families, and a sense of purpose. Yet many of the choices that undermine those desires come not out of rebellion, but out of self-interest. When we pursue what feels good rather than what honors God, we often end up sabotaging the very blessings we […]

Let’s talk about freedom. We chase it, don’t we? Freedom from stress, from people’s opinions, from guilt. Sometimes we wrongly think freedom is doing whatever we want whenever we want. I know I did. Do you remember as a kid, thinking, “When I get my driver’s license, I’m finally going to be free.” And then […]

I heard of a guy who was about double the body weight that he should be, and he decided he was going to lose weight. He told his doctor, and the doctor said, “Okay. Let’s just start with something easy. I want you to quit eating before you go to bed. Wait till the next […]

From the day they’re born, we love our children. This love compels us to help them mature and realize their potential so they win in life.  In Galatians, the Apostle Paul writes to believers who were struggling with accepting their salvation as a free gift from God. They were being told they had to do […]

There are times He looked at me in disbelief. His vibe was, “Your sermons better get better if you are going to step into that dream.” I could tell he thought my youthful positivity had caused me to lose touch with practicality. The good news is, when God gives you a promise, and you believe, but the […]