Solomon makes an important observation about your facial expressions. Yes, words matter. They must be used with skill and grace. But you have other significant ways that you communicate with your children. One of them is by your countenance. Positively or negatively, the look on your face makes a difference. Proverbs describes it this way: In the light of a king’s face there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds that bring the spring rain. Proverbs 16:15 In countries ruled by kings, a king’s smile was a big deal… read more

The gospel is about grace. School is about performance. The gospel is about receiving compassion. School is about earning grades. The gospel is about resting in the power of Christ in failure. School is about trying to avoid the shame of failure. The gospel is about acceptance in Christ regardless of performance. School is about gaining acceptance because of performance. Skilled and loving teachers and parents will work hard to bridge the gap illustrated by these comparisons. However, it is important to grasp that no matter how sincere one’s efforts.. read more

There are times when we think we have God figured out. Then he does the unexpected. God follows his own counsel, not our dreams or longings or expectations. There is a huge mercy to be found in trusting the God of perplexity. A person who has followed God faithfully becomes terminally ill. A teenager struggling with life and her faith, becomes chronically sick. You can faithfully know and embrace sound theology and wind up not being able to make any sense out of what God is doing. The bottom line.. read more