The Key to Flourishing
I was led to read and study Revelation 9:1-12, the chapter on the locusts. As I read verse 4 about God’s command to the locusts not to destroy anything green, a thought leaped out at me.
We Do Not Live on Bread Alone
If we want to get to know God and grow spiritually, then we need to develop a daily discipline of spending time with God in his word.
The Father is Tending Your Growth
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches” (John 15:1-5).
Take a Candid Picture, Please
Maintaining the Engine of Discipline
Getting into a self-disciplined routine can feel so difficult but seem so easy for others, so what’s the secret to success?
“I’ll never forget the feelings I experienced when two shiny new keys were pressed firmly into my trembling hands,” Gary Richmond recalled in his book A View from the Zoo. “They weren’t just any keys. These keys gave me access to all the cages at the Los Angeles Zoo.”
The Problem of Happiness
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11 ESV).
In her 2011 book, Ellen DeGeneres said, "…the key to happiness is being happy by yourself and for yourself. Happiness comes from within. You have the power to change your own mindset so that all the negative, horrible thoughts that try to invade your psyche are replaced with happy, positive, wonderful thoughts."
Miracles Only Love Could Bring
Gospel Impact through Special Needs Ministries
In a country in Central Asia, a center for young adults buzzes with joyful activity. 15 young men and women are occupied in productive crafts—sewing, making jewelry, repairing electronics. One cuts hair and does manicures. Some have found vocations, earning diplomas outside the center—in massage therapy, cooking and wood-burning.