My oldest daughter recently graduated to big kids’ Sunday School. What that means for her is: goodbye coloring sheets and eating Goldfish; hello memory verses and eight-year-olds.
Tag: faith
My Southern Accent and My Relationship With God
I grew up in the deep south – a Mississippi town called Petal that’s 65 miles from the Gulf Coast. And naturally, after spending the first part of my life there, I developed a southern accent.
Meeting God in the Frustration of Waiting
I’m currently waiting on some news that’s important to me, and it’s starting to get a little uncomfortable.
Rejoice When God Makes You Wait
I’ve had a lot of dreams that came to nothing – at least not when I wanted them to or the way I wanted. For example . . .
Jesus, the Alien Superhero
I have an agnostic friend named Ben who regularly peppers me with politely-antagonistic questions about my faith. For example, the other day, he asked me whether I really believed what the Bible said about Jesus’ life.
What if Jesus Doesn’t Show up?
Most of my childhood, I was raised by a working, single mother who usually couldn’t make it to daytime school events. Every once in a while though, she would slip away from work and come to school for something special. It meant the world to me when she was able to do that.
What it’s Like When I Panic
“What is wrong with you?” my wife asked. I was cranky, snippy, and easily annoyed – by her, by my daughters, by the universe. I knew why, but I didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m fine,” I snapped back. I wasn’t fine. I was panicking inside.
Hoping for Heaven Again
In 1988, a charlatan named Edgar C. Whisenant published a book called 88 Reasons Why the Rapture is in 1988. In it, he predicted that Jesus would return at some point between September 11 and 13 of that year. People actually believed him, and unfortunately, my dad was one of them.
How I Know Dogs Go to Heaven
I was 10 years old when I saw my neighbor run over my dog, Spot. In a horrific flash, Spot went under the tire, thrashed around in the front yard for a few seconds and then collapsed in the ditch. I screamed out his name and ran to his side, hoping that I could somehow stop the inevitable.
Two-Year-Old Prayer Warrior
Last Saturday, I awoke to the feeling of nausea , and within 45 minutes I was hugging the toilet. With that, I began a day of wallowing around in bed and aching like I’d been given tetanus shots all over my body. As I lay there suffering, Renee, my two-year-old, walked into my bedroom. She’s grown much more attached to me lately, and Saturday is usually a day we spend time playing together – but it wasn’t happening that day.
How to Handle a Religious Fanatic
At age 19, I was a proud, Bible-thumping holy-roller who was on a one-man mission to save the world from sin. Consequently, I had trouble making friends outside the most sympathetic circle of gracious believers at my church. I mean, people didn’t know what to do with a guy who was always trying to convert everyone – including Christians – to Christianity.
A Little Girl Screamed, God Listened
Last Monday, my friend Paul Perkins was standing on a street corner in Washington, DC, breathing hard and feeling very annoyed. He had just run after a taxi, which he was afraid was carrying his keys, but the driver didn’t stop when Paul ran after him.
Forgetting that Jesus is Coming Back Soon
The other day, my two-year-old daughter was standing in the kitchen, randomly saying, “Jesus was born, Jesus was born!” So I said, “Jesus died. He rose again, He went to Heaven, and – guess what? He’s coming back to see us!” As soon as the phrase, “He’s coming back to see us” left my mouth, I winced, reflexively thinking, “I shouldn’t tell her that. She might actually expect Him to come visit sometime soon.”
So Thankful God Said No
A few years ago, God answered a prayer of mine and finally said yes to my request for the Big Thing. It doesn’t really matter what the Big Thing was — maybe it was healing, a financial breakthrough, a spouse, a job, or some other change in circumstance. Regardless, I’m sure you can relate to needing something, then praying, waiting, and nothing happening. It leaves you feeling like God is either ignoring you or punishing you for wanting it too badly.
When God Doesn’t Heal
I had just met the elderly, heavy-set woman at the dinner party. Without any prompting from me, she told me I needed physical healing (I did; I had a long-running, chronic illness). She said the reason I hadn’t been healed was because I had allowed Satan to keep me in bondage, but if I started praying in faith, God would take my sickness away.
Joshua Rogers 