My toddler was dangling on this guy’s neck, reminding me of Jesus

One time, when my second daughter was a toddler, I took her to a playground where we met another dad and his baby girl. The girls played together nicely and I chatted with the other dad, Justin, who seemed like a nice guy. Then things suddenly got awkward, thanks to my daughter. Justin climbed onto the playground equipment to check on his daughter, squatting down to speak to her–but then my daughter intercepted. Crawling over to Justin, she grabbed his shirt, pulled herself up, reached her arms around his neck, and hugged him. “Awwww!” said the other adults standing around…

Go Ahead and Ask God for Something Really Small

May 10, 2016October 1, 2020 Categories: PrayerTags: grace · legalism · prayer · religiousness

The night before my wedding as I was drifting to sleep, I decided to ask God for a small favor.

The Reason I’m Not Going to Hell

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 Categories: Growing PainsTags: faith · fear · forgiveness · grace · healing · legalism · religiousness

When I was in my 20s, I was obsessed with the fear that I was not actually saved — that my so-called “faith” was nothing but an elaborate web of self-deception that would end in eternal damnation.

How a GQ Article Changed my View of Hillsong

January 4, 2016 Categories: ChurchTags: Church · criticism · judgmentalism · legalism · religiousness

I didn’t expect an article from GQ magazine about a megachurch to get me choked up, but recently, it did.

If You’re Secretly Afraid You Might Go to Hell…

December 24, 2015December 24, 2015 Categories: Trusting GodTags: faith · fear · forgiveness · grace · legalism · religiousness · sin1 Comment

Last week, I wrote an op-ed for Fox News Opinion called, “How to Know the Moment When You Really Got Saved.” I have never written something that provoked so many comments, personal emails, or Facebook messages. Fortunately, most of the responses were filled with awe at how completely God saved us through the blood of His Son, Jesus. And one of those messages, in particular, touched me.

The Reason to Forgive that Annoying Person

August 31, 2015September 1, 2015 Categories: Loving Your NeighborTags: forgiveness · friendship · grace · guilt · healing · judgmentalism · legalism · sin1 Comment

I know I’m supposed to like the whole Bible – especially anything Jesus said. But there are a few parts that get under my skin. One in particular is this passage from Luke 17:3-4: “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

Remembering Father God at the Ironing Board

August 25, 2015August 26, 2015 Categories: Trusting GodTags: fear · grace · gratitude · legalism · parenthood

Although I hate ironing, I went on a wild ironing spree this past Sunday afternoon.

How to Know the Exact Moment You Were Saved

August 7, 2015August 11, 2015 Categories: ChurchTags: faith · fear · forgiveness · grace · guilt · legalism · religiousness · sin1 Comment

When I was in college, I lived with the perpetual fear that somehow I had missed the salvation boat, that although I had placed my trust in Jesus, in the end, I would come before God’s throne, and He would shake His head and say, “I’m sorry, but you just thought you were saved.”

Jesus Loved Barabbas, This I Know

April 3, 2015April 7, 2015 Categories: Trusting GodTags: doubt · faith · grace · Holy Spirit · legalism · religiousness

When I was in my 20s, I intensely struggled with a sense of unworthiness before God; yet at the same time, I felt like I was just good enough to deserve His love because I was so well-behaved. It was a stressful way to live, and eventually, it took its toll.

Two Reasons to Consider Fasting

January 28, 2015January 30, 2015 Categories: Growing PainsTags: faith · grace · healing · legalism4 Comments

I feel kind of lame when I say this, but I do not enjoy the spiritual discipline of fasting, because it usually just leaves me feeling annoyed and inconvenienced. Even so, I’m finally coming to a place where I appreciate it a lot more than I used to.

Taking a Pass on New Year’s Guilt

December 31, 2014January 14, 2015 Categories: Growing PainsTags: doubt · faith · fear · forgiveness · grace · guilt · legalism · sin1 Comment

If you’re anything like me, just the thought of a new year’s resolution provokes a sense of dreaded guilt – the feeling that you’re only doing it because you’ve already failed in the previous year, and you’re going to end up failing in the next one anyway. I’m thinking this is not one of those things Jesus was talking about when he was talking about coming to give us abundant lives (John 10:10).

What Stupid Marital Fights Look Like

December 29, 2014December 31, 2014 Categories: MarriageTags: conflict · criticism · forgiveness · friendship · grace · judgmentalism · legalism · marriage

Recently, I was headed down Connecticut Avenue in the morning while it was still dark. There are several pedestrian crosswalks on that street that nobody uses at 5:20 a.m., so I was understandably surprised when I saw an old man standing in the middle of the street waving at me and yelling.

God is so Much Nicer than Santa

December 18, 2014December 29, 2014 Categories: Trusting GodTags: doubt · faith · forgiveness · grace · guilt · judgmentalism · legalism · religiousness5 Comments

Let’s play a game. I’ll describe someone, and you tell me who I’m talking about. 1. He’s an old man with a long, white beard. 2. He sees everything you do. 3. He keeps a list of your deeds, good and bad. 4. He lives in a far-off, magical kingdom you couldn’t find if you tried. 5. He never allows himself to be seen; and 6. All the movies about him are fairly lame.

Three Things to Remember Next Time You Fall Into Sin

November 29, 2014November 30, 2016 Categories: Growing PainsTags: forgiveness · grace · guilt · healing · legalism · religiousness · sin · temptation

I’ve had close friendships with countless Christians in my lifetime, and if there’s one thing we’ve all got in common, it’s that we’ve all got some bad habit, some addictive sin, some hangup that we just can’t seem to overcome. People struggle with all kinds of things — rage, overeating, jealousy, passive-aggressive behavior, and porn addiction, to name a few.

What Jesus Wants With Your Brokenness

November 20, 2014November 23, 2014 Categories: Growing Pains · Trusting GodTags: doubt · faith · fear · forgiveness · grace · guilt · healing · legalism · sin1 Comment

I used to spend a great deal of my time digging in my soul for spiritual brokenness. I was on a manhunt for sinful motives, ungodly habits, and character flaws – for badness, brokenness, ugliness – all the things I thought kept me from God.

Joshua Rogers

Finding God in the Ordinary

Tag: legalism