Category Archives: Faith

On Despair and Hope

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Jason

In the wake of Donald Trump’s re-election this week, many people I know are exuberant. That’s probably not surprising, given that I live in a military town in a “red” state. Folks around here are generally conservative by nature, both … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Blessings, Culture, Disappointment, Eschatology, Faith, God, Gospel, Hope, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Politics, Race, Scripture, Social Issues, Theology | 1 Comment

Essential

Posted on November 1, 2024 by Jason

We’re days away from the most important election of our lives. At least that’s what we’re told. On Election Day, I’ll be 48 years old. By my count, this is about the 7th or 8th time in my adult life … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Culture, Devotional, Eschatology, Faith, Gospel, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Mom, Politics, Scripture, Social Issues, Stewardship, Theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Carrying the Grief

Posted on October 20, 2024 by Jason

I read a poem the other day by a writer named Liz Newman. She talks about missing someone as an experience of simultaneously carrying both grief and love. When you think about it, grief and love come from the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Dad, Disappointment, Eschatology, Faith, Family, Hope, Poetry | Leave a comment

Boundaries in Families, Part 3

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Jason

Within our families, we are trying to balance being connected with standing separately. Psychologists refer to this as self-differentiation. This is when I can voice my own thoughts or views, even if they’re different than yours. And yet, while doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundaries, Faith, Family, God, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Marriage, Preaching, Scripture, Sermon on the Mount | Leave a comment

Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Respect, Part 4

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Jason

The boundary problem of control Loving people well means respecting their boundaries. To disregard someone’s boundaries is to attempt to exert control over them. As we noted in yesterday’s post, compliant people have a hard time saying no. And controlling … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundaries, Christmas, Disappointment, Faith, Family, God, Jesus, Marriage, Parenting, Preaching, Scripture | Leave a comment

Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Respect, Part 3

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Jason

The boundary problem of compliance Compliance is when we don’t respect ourselves enough to maintain healthy boundaries. Compliant people have “fuzzy” boundaries. Their “yes” and their “no” doesn’t really mean anything. An example of this is the person who claims … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Boundaries, Faith, Family, Friends, God, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Parenting, Preaching, Quotes, Scripture | Leave a comment

Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Respect, Part 2

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Jason

It is a fundamental biblical teaching that every human being is deserving of a modicum of respect. Here are some of the key reasons for this: Everyone is deserving of a baseline level of respect because every human being is … Continue reading →

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Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Reaping, Part 2

Posted on September 16, 2024 by Jason

The language of sowing and reaping comes from the world of agriculture. It’s about cause and effect: the seeds you plant lead directly to the harvest you’ll gather. This proverb is about the natural consequences of our actions. And you … Continue reading →

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Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Responsibility, Part 4

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Jason

A lot of our problems arise whenever we don’t understand the difference between the boulders and the backpacks. Think about the problems that come about whenever people try to carry their boulders on their own. This is the person who … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundaries, Church, Discipleship, Faith, Family, God, Parenting, Preaching, Scripture | Leave a comment

Developing Healthy Boundaries: The Principle of Responsibility, Part 3

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Jason

The biblical principle of responsibility brings clarity in these areas where we might otherwise be tempted to over-function. The principle of responsibility helps us carve out some important boundaries in our lives. To illustrate this, I’d like to look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Boundaries, Faith, God, Hard Sayings, Love Others, Preaching, Scripture | Leave a comment