“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.” –Psalm 103:1
It’s eight o’clock at night. You’ve just finished your civics homework and you have a bit of time before bed, so you pick up your phone and start scrolling social media. And as you scroll down, so does your mood. Tammi’s dad bought her a vintage car. Ayla just posted… Read More »Be Thankful: How a Grateful Heart Helps You Resist Sin
Wishing for a richer prayer life? Then tell me what’s wrong with this prayer: Dear God, I’m so worried about this test. Please help me pass it. Give me the answers so I can get a good grade. And help me do well at my game tonight. I’ve been practicing… Read More »How To Have a Richer Prayer Life By Friday
It’s one of those buzz phrases Christians love: “heart of praise.” You can’t help imagining a room full of people with their hands in the air, bodies swaying, faces plastered with euphoria. Christian YA fiction books (particularly from 10+ years ago) are loaded with worship scenes like this. This is… Read More »From Silence to Song: How to Find Your Heart of Praise
Do you know how to love God? How many people never, ever ponder that question? Some assume believing in Jesus is enough. Combine that with a prayer of thanks every now and then, and you’re good to go, right? Bonus points for going to church on Christmas and Easter or… Read More »How to Love God: What is God’s Love Language?
In my last post, Be Grateful, Not Entitled: Serve Without Expecting Thanks, I encouraged Christian teens to adopt an attitude of selfless service, the kind that doesn’t require constant back-patting. You should always serve without expecting thanks in return. So this post might seem like a complete reversal of my… Read More »Teens & Gratitude: Why You Should Always Say Thank You
Everyone loves hero stories. They’re the basis of all action movies on the market and most human-interest articles . A passerby pulls an unconscious victim from a burning car. An observant gas station attendant thwarts a bank robbery. A high school basketball player lobs the winning shot from the half-court… Read More »Be Grateful, Not Entitled: How to Serve Without Expecting Thanks
Recently, as I was putting my seven-year-old son to bed, he asked: “Mama, why do we have to pray to God when he’s gonna do it anyway?” I had to smile. Now that’s childlike faith—believing you’re going to get something without asking. Actually, he asked a valid question: Why should… Read More »Why Should I Pray? The Remarkable Privilege of Prayer
Do you know what irony is? Here’s a 10-second English lesson: Irony is a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects. Think of an unsinkable ship sinking on its maiden voyage or a police station getting robbed. Or Americans celebrating Thanksgiving right before… Read More »A Heart Of Gratitude on the Day After Thanksgiving?