After serving a nearly three-year prison sentence, a pastor in Tajikistan was finally released last year. His crime? Singing “extremist” songs based on Bible passages like Ephesians 6:12. I don’t know what it’s like to go to prison for any reason, let alone for my faith—but I suspect this brother may have been freer during his time in prison than other folks who’ve never been behind bars. Freedom. What comes to mind when you see that word? As Americans, we’re blessed with the ability to worship as we choose, speak freely even when we disagree with the government, and publish our Continue Reading
How you can leverage a “parent shaming” moment for your good
When one of our church’s leaders sought us out to address some concerns, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be a fun conversation. Sure enough, the topic was our oldest boy’s disobedience toward the couple in whose home our house church met. They’d established ground rules for all the kids, including our three boys, but Danny consistently ignored them. I’d already attended a few parent/teacher meetings centered on his behavior. Danny is funny, but distracts the other students…he doesn’t listen to instructions… As young parents, Scott and I had an invisible report card in our Continue Reading
How to avoid hurting people with this seemingly innocent attitude
As she went over my information, the assistant noticed a particular medical issue I’d mentioned in the paperwork. “I’m really curious about this,” she said. “I know someone else who had the same thing, and I’d be interested to hear more about it.” Despite my annoyance at her curiosity, I offered a brief explanation. In hindsight, I wish I’d said something more like, “To be honest, it’s difficult for me to talk about this. I’d rather not go there just to satisfy someone’s curiosity.” Human beings have a tendency to want to know what others are going through---not necessarily to Continue Reading
How to help your children hear God’s voice
In our search for the gas station’s restrooms, I hurried my three young sons past a man who sat cross-legged on the sidewalk. “If you’re looking for the bathrooms, they’re that way,” he said, pointing. “Thanks,” I mumbled as I rushed by. The man looked unkempt and made me a little nervous. As we returned to the car, I had a strong impression God wanted me to talk to go back and talk to the man. I balked. Lord, if you want me to talk to him, what am I supposed to say? The answer came as a clear thought: He is a seeker, but I am seeking him. Heart pounding, I decided to Continue Reading