Living Wide and Deep

Are you concerned about the increasing number of children who are walking away from the faith? What if part of this is due to a lack of understanding the full Gospel? While beliefs and behaviors is important, we must also include desires in our spiritual journeys. Yet so much of our teaching has been a "gospel of sin management," where our desires are are either ignored or indulged. We can foster...

"Christianity is not about rules, it's about relationship," is popular. But it's also misleading and can also be harmful. Too much of Christian teaching has focused on behavior and beliefs and left out the third critical element: desires. We need an entirely new perspective because rules and relationship are not enemies. We do not need to choose between them. We continue unpacking key elements fro...

Navigating the complexities of today's culture is challenging for parents, educators, and anyone involved with young people! We need all the help we can get, and the Axis organization is a great resource. Join the continued conversation I have with Kelli Rankin of Axis.org . You can be proactive rather than reactive when discussing pressing issues such as mental health, school shootings, gender, a...

Identity theft is not only about stolen Social Security numbers or bank details. It begins with your innate desire to be seen as unique and significant. This quest for significance can lead to a distorted sense of humility, where we equate being humble with playing small. Drawing from Dallas Willard's insights in The Divine Conspiracy , we discuss the importance of recognizing our God-given agency...

Ever feel overwhelmed trying to keep up with the music, trends, movies, media, and lingo of the younger generations? Want to have meaningful conversations with your kids and have at least some idea of what's going on in their world? Fear no more! You have an amazing research assistant just waiting to help you? The Axis organization is a storehouse of up-to-date research-based resources empowering...

We're all part of a conspiracy. It's just a matter of which side. Conspiracies are nothing new. They didn't start with the 2020 election, the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the U.S., or the President John F. Kennedy's assassination. There's a long history of conspiracies (or related theories) involving leaders. Julius Caesar was assassinated because of a conspiratorial belief he was going to proclaim h...

Attitudes are like smells. You can’t force them to leave a room when they’re bad, but they can force you to walk out. When they’re good, you can’t make them stay, but you sure don’t want to leave. One of the greatest mistakes parents make, often unintentionally, is placing more emphasis on the beliefs they want to instill in their children rather than the emotional and attitudinal environment they...

What the parrot saw changed his attitude. We can follow his example, especially in these difficult times. Join me as we consider the connection between our attitudes and the challenges we face, particularly in the context of a heated election. We can -- and must -- choose our attitudes with care, following the instructions Paul gives to the Christians in Philippi, Ephesus, and Rome. Attitudes alwa...

Discover the profound connection between creativity and our spiritual identity as we explore how to nurture creativity in our children! Creativity is not just a skill for a special few but a fundamental trait rooted in being made in God's image. Through engaging stories, including the origins of Play-Doh, we learn how grit and belief in one's creative abilities can lead to remarkable outcomes. As...

Two weeks before a momentous election in the United States, I'm going political -- and Biblical. Citizenship, for the Christian, is a responsibility to steward. We may feel like burying this "talent" in the ground because it's too hard to engage in the rough & tumble of political commerce. But it's not an option if we are to walk in faithfulness. As Christians, we are called to seek knowledge...

The whimsical pushmi-pullyu's from Doctor Dolittle is a great metaphor for the internal struggles everyone faces in the human desire to be understood while also grappling with the fear of being truly known. We explore how this duality illustrates that while children yearn for connection and understanding, they may simultaneously resist it due to vulnerability concerns. We can -- and must -- embrac...

I decided to become a drug addict while sitting in church in our regular pew, second row piano side. The same as Chonda Pierce! Why? I needed a powerful testimony and growing up on a small Kansas farm didn't seem a likely path. Nobody highlighted the compelling testimonies of "special speakers" who came through our church so kids would conclude the path to a powerful testimony was delving into a l...

Rest and recreation play a crucial role in developing humility and nurturing our character. We explore the profound connection between our need for rest and our overall well-being—physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Drawing from biblical principles, particularly the example set by God during creation, the episode highlights the importance of intentionally incorporating rest int...

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" was -- and still is -- a revolutionary statement in two ways. First, as part of the Beatitudes, this meant bringing people to peace with God. For centuries only priests had been entrusted with the role of being intermediaries between individuals and God. To entrust ordinary people with the call to help bring people into relationsh...

Humans have a legitimate need for security -- food, clothing, and shelter. Jesus told his followers in the Sermon on the Mount God knows people need these things. Jesus said the "lilies of the field neither toil nor spin (work)," but he didn't add "neither should you." Poverty can lead to one type of idolization; while prosperity can lead to another. How do we teach our children to be responsible...

Sometimes one word can make all the difference! For example, "may" in a legal document is entirely different from "shall." The first makes an action optional; the second makes it an obligation. In Jesus's teachings in Matthew 5, two words (7 letters) in the 6th Beatitude make all the difference -- not only for the original audience but for us. "Blessed are the pure" is an entirely different messag...

Robert Frost's immortal poem, "The Road Not Taken" speaks to the impact our choices make. This ability is hardwired into us, yet we often struggle to teach our kids (or use ourselves) a framework for how to make good choices. Today's episode unpacks the A-LASO method. A--Appreciate the ability to chose. This perspective helps move us into a posture of humility and stewardship. L -- Listen to voice...

Remember the song lyrics, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love?" It's as true now as then, even though what "love" looks like is still not universally agreed on. One trait, however, that tends to be recognized -- even if not practiced -- is mercy. This is one of the characteristics that Jesus declared marked people who lived in the kingdom of God. Mercy is not merely emotion; nor is it au...

The gospel is meant to be "earthy." It's not about how to "survive" earth until finally making it to heaven. Jesus taught the "Kingdom of Heaven" was about life starting here on earth. Teaching kids how to love God includes the practical, "earthy" things like honoring the places they inhabit and use. It's about seeing their purposes as being greater than self-interest and making a living. Place an...

If Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, gave a free virtual workshop on how to run a successful company, people would listen! If Sydney McClaughlin-Levrone, the 400 meter hurdles World and Olympic record-holder offered free coaching, you can bet hurdle-wanna-be's would stand in line to gain her insights. So when Jesus says, "This is what leads to a fulfilled life," it's worth our attention! Today we...

Everyone ends up with more names than the one given at birth. Many of these prove to be stressful if not downright destructive. They can come from parents, caregivers, siblings, adults, or other children. They can be mean and cruel, designed to hurt, or they can result from ignorance about their power -- even if they're "positive" names. See the power of names from the very first one given and how...

Meekness is a wonderful concept! But it can be hard (at least for me) to practice at certain places -- like the Department of Motor Vehicles! In the 3rd Beatitude, Jesus declares it was the meek who would inherit the earth. Surely that would have sounded like Jesus didn't have a good grip on reality to a people ruled by Rome -- who hadn't conquered the "known world" by exercising meekness! Gain in...

Fulfilling the First Great Commandment needs a proper understanding of our origins. Were we designed? Derived? What difference does it make? Be inspired to think deeply about this topic -- beyond a usual narrative about fossils, carbon dating, and age of the earth. Be empowered to talk about this critical topic with your children. Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand sto...

"You're going to love serving under my leadership, especially if you are in mourning." Not the opening lines of any new leader's address! Yet early in Jesus' ministry he declares, "Blessed are those who mourn." How does this qualify for the "abundant" life he came to give? Understanding "abundant" is not the same as "happy," is the start to accepting mourning as a part of life God enters into with...

How can you help kids protect their capacities? Teaching humility. But this is a virtue that requires time to develop. It's not a series of lessons to complete! Learn three ways humility is developed and practiced. Discover from the examples of the space shuttle Challenger, popcorn, and the ancient Jewish king, Saul, the high cost of refusing humility. Empower yourself and your family to engage fu...