Instead of thinking of creative slogans and soundbites, we would do well to look at how Jesus encapsulated his message.

We are called to be bold in our prayers. God is the one who hears us and answers us before we call. Unyielding grace surrounds our prayers. There is no need, passion, or desire that we cannot lift to God in prayer.

You may or may not go to church looking for God's presence. You may or may not feel like you need God to reveal himself to you in some way. But God’s presence and God’s power define the church.

Before you pack the car or plan every moment, this reminder invites you to slow down and let your vacation become a sacred space for rest, joy, and deeper connection with God.

Holy Saturday is a time of quiet contemplation and waiting with hope.

Here’s the essential thing: regardless of what we find ourselves in—tests, temptations, or trials—the grace of Christ surrounds us, as does the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, no matter what, we can approach Jesus in confidence.

Lent, therefore, is a time to look at the relational closeness between ourselves and our Lord. Where do we need to grow closer with Jesus? Where do our actions, our habits, or our attitudes, get in the way of the call to faithful living?

True thanksgiving, as a spiritual discipline, is not about what happens to us; it’s about who is with us.

The story of Blind Bartimaeus, found in the Gospel of Mark, is a popular account of healing. Jesus comes across an infirmed man on the side of the road, heals him, and continues his way. In the scriptural narrative, it all seems quite ordinary. Yet, Jesus’ statement that “Your faith has saved you” (Mark 10:52) indicates that there was something about how Bartimaeus called out to him that was instructive toward his healing.

If this is the case, then the story of Bartimaeus’ healing is instructive for us as well. It highlights how we may approach our Lord in prayer. After all, we all experience times when we feel the need for Christ’s mercy and healing. What might it look like to emulate Bartimaeus? Below are seven steps for praying in the manner of Bartimaeus.

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By calling himself a vine, Jesus reveals important truths about himself. Jesus not only discloses his identity as Lord, but he also reveals the truth of his salvific mission. Thus, the language of the vine speaks directly to our call to see Jesus as the source of our life and our salvation.

Faith is more than rule-keeping or sin-management. Faith is an abiding relationship with the one who created and redeemed us.

If we wish to live our lives under Jesus’ example, we must also seek times when we step away from the frenzy of our lives so that we can “waste our time” with Jesus.

The question of who we believe Jesus to be is perhaps the deepest and most important question we can ask ourselves as we grow in our faith. This is why Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about him.

The world around us needs hope. Based on the rampant negativity we see in the news, the increase of discord, discouragement, and destruction, the world needs the church to embody the audacious truth that hope overcomes despair, forgiveness heals guilt, and love dismantles hate.