Audio Articles

Sabbath—an intentional day, each week, set aside for rest, worship and fun—sounds like a great idea on paper. Actually making it happen, though, can feel dang-near-impossible. In this article, author Caleb Mathis conducts short interviews with three people, in completely different stages of life, about how (and why) they practice the Biblical concept of Sabbath. Your mission? Borrow an idea from o...

If you want this year to be better than the last, you’re going to have to deal with your calendar. After finding her margins thin, her creativity zapped, and her joy for life diminished, author Rachel Reider made a desperate move—she started saying no. The freedom of intentionally reclaiming space on her calendar was the gateway to rediscovering the kind of life she wanted. In this article, Rachel...

In this best-of episode, Chris Pennington, the editor of Crossroads Articles, shares his five favorite audio article episodes of the past year, including pieces of friendship, the afterlife for pets, and how to overcome lies.  Read the full length articles at the links below:  “Do Dogs Go To Heaven?” by Brent Suer  “I Read 10 Books on Prayer So You Don’t Have To” by Donny Black   “How to be Friend...

The presents are piling up under the tree—or, you’re frantically tracking shipping progress on Amazon. But what about the birthday boy? Do you have anything to bring to Jesus this holiday season? Better than a drum solo for a newborn baby, scripture unpacks four things Jesus would love this Christmas. The good news? They’re all within arms reach. Your praise, tears, prayers, and action are gifts t...

What’s the last adventure you went on? Like a real adventure. Trying a new restaurant or switching up your laundry detergent doesn’t count. Been longer than you thought? In this article, author and pastor Andy Reider shares how riding his motorcycle from the northern tip of the world to the southern changed his perspective on adventure, and helped him realize the most important adventures are the...

Decision-making can be stressful, especially when there is a lot on the line. In this article, author Kirk Marshall outlines the two mistakes most people trip over when making big decisions—entering stress mode or escape mode. Instead of being derailed or distracted, Kirk offers a third choice, the one made by heroes of the faith: wrestling mode. His five simple steps for engaging wrestling mode m...

It’s a conversation most parents dread, but it doesn’t have to be. In this article, author and father of three, Caleb Mathis, explains how his family handled the truth about Santa Claus. By walking their kids through three intentional phases—belief, trust, and generosity—Caleb and his wife were able to do Santa in a way that built their kids’ faith. If you’re looking for wisdom on how to tackle th...

Gratitude isn’t reserved for times when everything is up and to the right. In this classic article, first published in 2018, author Caleb Mathis gets honest about the difficulties he faced that year—and why the antidote was, and always has been, gratitude. If your life isn’t trending the way you want it to this holiday season, there’s hope in the fact that gratitude can still grow, even when it fe...

A miscarriage is one of the hardest things couples go through—and not just for the mother. In this powerful and vulnerable article, author Chris Stewart shares how he began to acknowledge and work through the pain he felt as a father experiencing miscarriage. In the midst of it, he found an unlikely source of hope that led him on a path to healing.  Read the full-length article here .  Find more a...

While the Bible isn’t necessarily the easiest book to pick up, there are things parents can do to help their kids learn to engage and love the Bible—no matter their age. Author and father of two Chris Stewart shares how the simple power of making the Bible visible, casual, meaningful, and creative can help build lifelong bridges between the good book and your children. Whether your kids are teens...

Even after growing up in church, author Donny Black never really felt comfortable during times of corporate worship. Was he supposed to raise his hands or lower them, sing loud or softly, try to memorize the words or really listen to what they meant? He began to find answers in an unlikely place: a Shakespearean acting class in London, England. If you’re confused about how to engage when the churc...

Something spiritual is stirring around the world. When revival hits, will you be ready? In this practical article, author Caleb Mathis unpacks four ways we can prepare ourselves for revival—whether personal or corporately alongside other believers— taken straight from scripture.  Read the full-length article here . Find more articles by Caleb Mathis here .

While the experience of pregnancy might differ from one mother to the next, there’s at least one commonality: it’s freaking hard. The body changes and aches; the hormonal shifts and sleep deprivation; the nausea, nausea, and more nausea. For many women, every part of the process—from conception to delivery and beyond—is racked with pain and difficulty. Why is that? Author and mom, Lena Schuler, di...

What started as a fun hobby—a way to connect with his own Asian-American heritage—for author Chris Stewart became a profound metaphor for the healing that Jesus provides. Kintsugi is a 500 year-old Japanese art form that repairs broken pottery using lacquer mixed with gold. Instead of ignoring the cracks, it is the brokenness that enhances the beauty of the final product. In this powerful piece, C...

When facing a loss, the choice of burial options, among all the other decisions that need to be made, can feel overwhelming. Cremation can be an easy and cost-effective option, but does the Bible have anything to say about it? In this article, author Caleb Mathis shares the answer he found searching the scriptures, empowering readers with freedom to make decisions that honor both God and their lov...

Maternity leave is difficult, and not just for the people left behind at the office. In this article, author and mom Lena Schuler shares what she wishes she would have said to her managers before going on maternity leave—including handling emotions, texting etiquette, and what it’s really like to return to work after 12 weeks. Feel free to forward it on to your manager when you need it, or adapt i...

Insecurity will count you out before you even try. That’s what happened to author Caleb Mathis when he signed up for his first MAN CAMP weekend. As the date grew nearer, so did his excuses for not attending. At the root, was fear that he wasn’t MAN CAMP material. But as soon as he sat foot on the land, that fear was silenced. Along the way, he learned that manliness isn’t a set of stereotypes, but...

Looking forward to your next difficult conversation? Of course not. While nobody likes having them, when they are handled correctly, they can lead to breakthrough, forgiveness, and reconciliation. In this helpful and practical article, author Scott Dill outlines how a simple acronym—T.R.A.S.H.—can be the key to more success in your next hard conversation. Read the full-length article here .  Find...

Having a child walk away from the faith you raised them in can be one of life’s most difficult challenges—but as the parent, how you respond can either build bridges or barriers. In this vulnerable and helpful article, author Lori Murray walks us through three action steps she is taking in this season, and why it’s important to keep setting a place at the table for your kids.  Read the full-length...

We can get pretty attached to our furry (or scaly, or slimy) friends. When a beloved pet dies, it’s natural to wonder what happens to them next. Do dogs (and other pets) go to heaven? In this article, author and pet-lover, Brent Suer, looks for an answer from scripture… and what he discovers just might surprise and give you hope. Read the full-length article here .  Find more articles by Brent Sue...

The final article in a series of three (find part one and part two at these links), author Caleb Mathis tackles what, for many, is the hardest “God question” to answer—does God care about me? In this article, he unpacks how the four filters can get us part of the way to a good answer, but that it takes risk to complete the journey. That’s because you can’t know if you’re loved until you’re truly k...

In part two of a three-part series of articles (find part one here ), author Caleb Mathis tries to find an answer to the age-old question: is God actually good? In this article, he explains how our experiences can sometimes lie to us; why scripture makes for a great primary filter; and how overcoming his own traumas unexpectedly pointed him to the goodness of God. If you are wrestling with big que...

“Is God real?” is a question of massive significance, so much so that many people don’t even know where to begin. Instead, they let others—from pastors to professors—do the thinking for them. But what if there was a better way, a path to weigh the evidence and come to your own conclusions? In this article, author Caleb Mathis shares the four filters he uses for better discernment, and how they wor...

Comparison is a killer—at work, among friends, and especially, at home. In this article, author Chris Stewart reminds us that parenting isn’t a competition between yourself and anyone else. Rather, it is a journey you get to take (and enjoy) with your child. The important thing isn’t where they fall on a growth chart, a class roster, or on their Little League team—but who they are becoming as you...

On a hike to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary, Animaesh and his wife found themselves eye-to-eye with something they hadn’t counted on: a black bear. It was at this moment that Animaesh began to understand the vows he had spoken on his wedding day, and what it takes to start and sustain a thriving marriage. Whether you’re a newlywed, a seasoned veteran, or considering marriage in the future...