Recently I spoke with Abby, a volunteer involved in the fight against human trafficking in the sex trade. [You can watch a video of our conversation here.] According to the International Labor Organization, there are over 40 million modern slaves, many of whom are sex slaves. That’s more people than live in my entire country. … Continue reading The nightmare that isn’t a dream
hope
For those who are suffering
There is a lot of suffering in the world. There is personal anguish and anxiety. There is family and relationship stress. There is oppression and violence and war. None of this surprises me because we live in a broken world. But it bothers me. It bothers me because it’s not what God intended. So, in … Continue reading For those who are suffering
How to handcuff the present
Nostalgia is good... sometimes. But is there a point where glorifying those supposed golden yester-years actually holds you back?
The defining moment of your story?
Gerald Sittser was a professor at Whitworth University who was in a horrible car crash. He was hit by a drunk driver. Amazingly he walked out of the car with no major injuries. But he wasn’t the only one in his car. His mother was in the car, but didn’t walk out. She was killed. … Continue reading The defining moment of your story?
Shocked and saddened, but not afraid
A friend posted this on Twitter: “When will all this crazy stuff stop?” He was referring to the 10 deaths and 15 injuries that resulted when a man drove over pedestrians in Toronto. But the backdrop includes the Humboldt Broncos tragedy. And the shooting in Nashville. In the midst of this, I think there are … Continue reading Shocked and saddened, but not afraid
Bystander Syndrome
In 1964 in New York City, Kitty Genovese was attacked for 30 minutes outside her apartment building. She died as a result of the brutal assault. A police investigation revealed that there were 38 witnesses. These were people watching from their apartment windows. But not a single one called the police. Even as the attack … Continue reading Bystander Syndrome
The hope of tomorrow today
Remember the movie Back to the Future? I think it was so popular because people loved the idea of time travel and guessing what the future would be like. Well, we don’t know much about flying cars (yet), but we actually do know what the future is going to be like. We know it because … Continue reading The hope of tomorrow today
When WHAT you say isn’t all that matters
Yesterday we talked about thinking very intentionally about coming up with the reason for the hope that you have within you. The reason we did this is because of 1 Peter 3:15 that says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you … Continue reading When WHAT you say isn’t all that matters
What is the (real) reason for your hope?
“You don’t actually believe in God, do you?” “Why on earth would you read the Bible?” “What reason would possibly make you want to go to church?” Have you ever heard any of those questions? I’m guessing yes. And unfortunately, many of you feel overwhelmed and unprepared to give a response when someone questions your … Continue reading What is the (real) reason for your hope?
It’s a win-win (With thanks to Billy Graham)
Yesterday we learned that the great preacher Billy Graham passed away at the age of 99. So for today’s devotional, and as a testament to Graham’s own teaching, let me share a story he once told, and which captures something about the hope that was deep within him. There was a 30 year-old truck driver … Continue reading It’s a win-win (With thanks to Billy Graham)
