Frank Santora
When I look around the world today there seems to be a happiness vacuum. There are more hurting people, hating people and hopeless people than there are happy people. For many, it’s because of the gri...
Frank Santora
Christmas is supposed to be a time of outrageous and contagious joy. Indeed, as Christians filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christmas, every day of the year, we should be the most joyful and...
Shelby Turner
More often than not, the task of filling classrooms with energetic and faithful volunteers feels impossible for children’s ministry directors. I know firsthand this struggle begins when very f...
Mike Leake
I hate conflict. I’d rather shave with a cheese grater than have to be in conflict. I’m not alone in this sentiment either. Though some people seem to relish conflict, for most of us we would rather a...
Lia Martin
Choosing joy means believing what Jesus promises in John 16 – that his work to reconcile us to God will make our joy “complete.” Joy is continually filling up on faith, not just feeling happy in good ...
Neither Jesus nor the Holy Spirit has ever sinned. But both have grieved. Both have been sorrowful. Therefore, godly sorrow is possible. ...
Frank Santora
Who cares what the naysayers and haters say, or what family and friends prefer for your life – that is not what creates a happy and blessed life. All that matters is what God wants for your life, and ...
Felicia Alvarez
It smelled. Bad—really bad. In fact, I thought I was going to be sick. But the kids of this neighborhood in Mexico didn’t seem to notice the stench surrounding them. They held our hands as we climbed ...
John Piper
"Love your neighbor as yourself" is a very radical command. What I mean by "radical" is this: it cuts to the root of our sinfulness and exposes it and, by God's grace, severs it....
Melissa Henderson
Have you felt lost? A prayer for loneliness can bring peace and comfort. No matter the reason we feel lonely, going to God in prayer is the best way to remember we are not alone....
Jeannie Myers
Psalm 118:24 rings with praise and joy, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Children sing it; artists hand-letter it on decorative plaques. But what is the psal...
Psalm 126 shows us not only that “laughter” and God go together but also God and “joy.” This psalm is written to help you discover the secret of joy....
There are three general questions about Jesus’ Beatitudes which need to be asked. These concern the people described, the qualities commended and the blessings promised....
Sonya Downing
Without the Old Testament, you and I wouldn’t know half of what God has done to save the Israelites from themselves. The New Testament tells us about the reason for our hope, but the Old Testament tel...
Joel Ryan
This knowledge provides a new vision that allows us to see God and His plan for our lives more clearly. Without this vision, we are left to wander in the dark down a path that ultimately leads to dest...
Emma Danzey
The fruit of joy does not always include happiness. We can be happy and have joy, however Scripture also shares that we can have joy in affliction and suffering too. This is not humanly possible, but ...
Jeannie Myers
About 1700 years after He created the earth, God covered it with a great Flood. Every person, bird, and land animal drowned, except those on the ark. Noah’s ark was an enormous boat that safely carrie...
Meg Bucher
“Be joyful always…” (1 Thessalonians 5:16).The difference between joy and happiness is substantial. We often assume that the fleeting feeling of happiness, giddy laughter and contentment in the comfor...
Melissa Henderson
What do we know about Asher in the Bible? Was he tall or short, plump or skinny? Was he gifted with creativity or hospitality? Scripture shares a small bit of information about Asher. Yet, Asher was a...