Anxiety is on the rise in our culture and the personal lives of the people I talk to regularly. It may be due to the prevalent use of social media, the constant drumbeat of the negative news cycle, or our over-scheduled and overcommitted personal lives.

In some parts of the world, people have found an incredibly simple way to catch monkeys.

There is such a thing as the ministry of presence. I have seen it on many occasions. It’s not flashy. And it doesn’t create headlines. But often, our presence is the most meaningful gift we can give someone.

The topics of sin and repentance are out of vogue in the church today. I think that is a big mistake. The Bible is incredibly focused, from cover to cover, on the reality of sin and the need for forgiveness.

Most people live for the approval of the many. They make decisions that they know others will approve of. They go along with the crowd. They blend into the culture. Unfortunately, they also live safe and ineffective Christian lives.

At some moment in our lives, we all face a storm. The question is not whether the storm will come, but how will you survive the storm when it comes?

Sometimes I hear people worry about the future of the church. I think that is a mistake.

There is a fascinating story in 2 Samuel 6:12-23 that describes the moment that King David brings the ark of God into Jerusalem. He is overjoyed and shows it with his worship, but his wife is embarrassed.

The story of King David in the Bible is about waiting for God's promise to come about in his life. At 15 years old, the prophet Samuel announced that God had rejected Saul and instead chose young David to be the future king of Israel. It must have been bewildering to receive such a promise and feel like it would never happen.

Sometimes in life a friend will betray you, a family member will hurt you, or a co-worker will unfairly blame you. These events deeply injure us and leave us with wounds that are difficult to heal. What do you do when this happens to you?

Giants come for all of us. I wish it wasn’t the case, but at some moment in your life you will face down something that will feel daunting and insurmountable.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7