Earlier this month I spent a week in north Georgia in the home of the Johnsons, who for fifteen years have provided loving care for my aging mother. I had planned the trip to coincide with a publishing conference, but hospice workers urged me to come sooner. “She might not make it to her 99th birthday,” they said. “She could die at any time.” That first day, I awoke at sunrise in their basement guest quarters. Soft morning light filtered... Read more
Former president Jimmy Carter is back in the news, this time because of his decision to forgo further medical treatment and live out his final days at home, under hospice care. Approaching his ninety-ninth birthday, he hopes to die as he has lived, with quiet dignity. Generations who read about Carter only in history books may miss the drama of his meteoric rise to the presidency. He grew up in rural Georgia, in a home without indoor plumbing or electricity,... Read more
Guest post by Justin Brierly. In my recent post-episode podcast, I had the pleasure of hosting a Q&A with renowned pastor, writer and speaker Tim Keller; we discussed his journey with pancreatic cancer, his transformed prayer life and his new book “Forgive.” Towards the beginning of our conversation, he said something that struck me, setting a tone of holy reverence for the rest of our talk: “My wife and I would never want to go back to the kind of... Read more
Hurricane Ian has come and gone from my hometown of Naples, Florida. Yet, cancel culture isn’t going anywhere soon. Like a hurricane, cancel culture is fueled by heat. As temperatures rise, cancel culture gets bigger, stronger, and more destructive. No one escapes its fury. I recently talked to a tearful mother whose daughter had insisted she affirm her LGBTQ choices or she could no longer be part of her life. If you haven’t been canceled yet, you probably will be—especially... Read more
As Holy Week approaches each year, I turn to my favorite part of the Gospels, John 13-17. Many other passages seem rushed. They leave me longing for more sensory detail and pondering the meaning of Jesus’ cryptic sayings. In these five chapters, the author slows the pace almost cinematically. After all, it’s the group’s last supper together. One by one, the key disciples make an appearance in John’s account. Peter picks an argument with Jesus and then quickly yields. John... Read more
The son of a schoolteacher and a domestic servant, Desmond Tutu would grow up to become a prominent figure on the world stage. With Nelson Mandela locked behind bars for almost three decades, the apartheid government in South Africa saw Tutu as their greatest threat. Tutu’s reputation belied his simple charm. Interviewers remember his impish giggle and his corny jokes. Wearing a standard bishop’s uniform—purplish shirt with a white clerical collar—he usually introduced himself as “the Arch,” short for Archbishop.... Read more
Author and pastor Greg Laurie recounts how Billy Graham’s experience with his first sermon shows how God can use our small beginnings. Read more
How did Christmas become the mother of all Christian celebrations? Read more
God’s gifts may take time, but they are tailor-made for you. Read more
Which type of worship should you participate in? Read more
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