Allie Boman

Prayer is essential to the Christian life, but it can be difficult to build up a healthy prayer life. You may be feeling unprepared, insecure or just too busy to pray sometimes. How can we work to get started praying regularly, or even to re-energize a stagnant prayer life? 

We're all busy this time of year it seems, and the closer we get to the 25th, the busier things get. But our whole reason for celebrating is the birth of the Christ! That simple and crucial fact can be so easy for us to forget amidst the business. Below are some easy tips to help you and your family keep Jesus at the center of the Christmas season this year.

Tragedy is nothing new for God’s people. Many Bible events display both the darkness of this world and the goodness of God as he brings hope and healing in tragic circumstances.

Nehemiah’s response to hardship was both passionate and effective. As we observe the ways he dealt with national tragedy and personal pain, we can learn and grow in our own response to difficult times.

God created in us motivations, passions, pleasures, and thinking power that mirror his own. Think of a painter who sees something lovely and wants to bring out the joy it gives him. The substance of the thing isn’t the same, nor is it meant to be a clone. There can only be one original. But every time the subject is painted, new qualities are displayed.

God is present in all stages of life. This is sweetly evident as a child is being formed in the womb. Parents watch from the outside in amazement as carefully designed processes unfold. Besides the body, the child’s identity and uniqueness are also mysteriously being formed.

Sometimes, however, our wonder turns to worry. The technology that provides us a glimpse into our hidden child’s life also provides warning signs when there is a problem. 

Some parents have received news from doctors that their child is not likely to have a viable chance at life. A vital organ may not be developing properly. A chromosomal problem may indicate that the child’s quality of life would be unbearable. When one small problem leads to catastrophe, we realize that every earthly life is fragile.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Doble D.

Easter 2020 will look pretty different for all of us. And while it is entirely valid to mourn the loss of time with our family, friends, and brother and sister in Christ, don't let those feelings overwhelm you! Christ is still risen, and there are still plenty of ways that we can celebrate that joyous fact in the midst of the Coronavirus. 

The coronavirus pandemic that is shaking the world is unprecedented. And no matter who you are, it's scary. What is a Christian to do to spread Christ's love and joy, when we ourselves are crippled with very real fears? 

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

The beauty and weight of these words settles like a warm blanket over the complexity and confusion of our everyday lives. They are read as a blessing at wedding ceremonies and printed on cards at Valentine’s Day. While Scripture can bring comfort like nothing else, may God help us not to merely snuggle up with words that were meant to change us.

This short verse contains so much wisdom for our world that it can be held up like a diamond and studied from several facets. I came to this article having thought through one of those facets already, a facet that I thought got at the heart of things. And I will share that briefly.

In studying the text this time, however, I saw another reason for the superior greatness of love, which I will spend the most time sharing. You could no doubt turn the diamond again to see yet another way to respond to this Scripture.

From everyday worries to persistent fears, anxiety is a daily struggle for many of us. In fact, anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18% of the population, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. 

While the medical community laudably strives to provide solutions for those who are suffering from anxiety, God has provided a different kind of healing. 

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/tadamichi

If you've become interested in the Bible, you're in good company. The Bible, in one translation or another, has been printed billions of times and remains one of the bestselling books of all time.