Posts with the tag “gospel”

Last week at camp, I had two conversations I can't stop thinking about. A student opened up about significant pain they were walking through. My immediate response was, "Are you okay?" Their answer shocked me: "Yeah, actually I'm doing okay." Then a leader shared their own struggles—the kind that would make most people run from faith, not toward it. Yet there it was again: genuine joy in the middle of real suffering. How is that possible? The Apostle Paul wrote from a Roman prison cell after being beaten, shipwrecked, and left for dead. His letter should be filled with complaints. Instead, it overflows with joy—mentioned 16 times in four chapters. He discovered something powerful: your pain can become your platform when you focus on something bigger than yourself. That hospital bed? That workplace struggle? It might be exactly where someone encounters hope for the first time.  Read More

What if the secret to lasting happiness isn't found in better circumstances, but in a simple daily practice? The Apostle Paul wrote about joy sixteen times while sitting in a prison cell—not on vacation, not at a celebration, but in chains. His secret? Gratitude. Not for his situation, but for what God had done, was doing, and would do. Research confirms what ancient wisdom taught: it's not that joyful people are grateful, but that grateful people are joyful. This summer, discover how a small journal and three simple questions can transform your perspective and cultivate joy that doesn't depend on everything going right.  Read More

By embracing our inadequacy and relying on God's strength, we can accomplish more than we ever imagined. Let's take that first step together, trusting in the One who equips us for every good work.  Read More