God is a patient counselor who turns one page of our hearts at a time and says, “Will you give me this today? Will you trust me to gently cut this out of your life?”
We know God has forgiven us; so why do we try to hide from him?
Can we get so busy doing stuff for God that we forget to rest in God?
For some honoring "dad" feels natural because the relationship has been wonderful. But that's not everyone's experience. Why show respect if he doesn't really deserve it?
We need to believe everyone's spiritual potential. Only God knows how the story ends.
How do you remain totally committed to Jesus? In your own strength, you can’t. But you’re never on your own. The Holy Spirit is always there.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean absolving people of the consequences of their actions.
Following Jesus isn’t about rules, duty, or sacrifice. It’s about love: receiving God’s love, loving God, and demonstrating his love to others.
The Gospel starts with love: "for God so loved the world." If we want to share our faith it has to start with love.
Do you have a hard time believing that your sin has been paid for? You can claim his forgiveness.
Forgiveness can be gut-wrenching hard work. If you know you need to forgive, but you know that your heart is not ready, here's where you can start.
Hate can help you love.
As a Christian, I always imagined that my wedding night would be the first encounter with sex for both of us. What happens when your plan isn't God's plan?
Premarital sex wasn't just something I had experienced; it seemed to define me. For a long time, I believed purity was lost forever.
If we're already forgiven, why do we need to repent?
“But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” I John 2:1-2
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” John 20:19
They say that hurt people hurt people. The same can be said of forgiven people — they forgive. When we realize that we truly are forgiven we're able to forgive the people who wrong us. There is so much freedom in that.
A calm apology defuses a lot of anger.
Jesus gets you passed the "No Trespassing" sign.
Every couple will find irritations in one another. We can either keep a list of wrongs or a list of rights. What we choose to focus on makes all the difference in the relationship.
Look upon Jesus. Trace your steps back to the cross and have a fresh start.
It's time to move forward, in His way.
"Pass the fries and skip the broccoli!" It's so easy to pick and choose in our cafeteria culture.
Making amends for sin starts with asking for forgiveness.
Sometimes, best friends aren't forever.
In the spirit of all things "Frozen"... LET IT GO!
What does "happily ever after" actually look like? Igniter Media has put together this moving video of a different kind of fairy-tale ending.
Your father may have scarred you, but it doesn't have to be for life.
The loss of a dear friend is one of the most painful things someone can encounter. So how do you deal with it?
The truth is: we are still sinners and will always battle with sin in our lives because we are inwardly bent towards it. That's why God says we need to confess our sins and rely on his promise to cleanse us and transform us.
Beating yourself up for something God has already forgiven does not make you more holy. It just makes you miserable.
How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you’ve said, “If I had a second chance, I’d do ________”?
How does someone who has always loved children end up having an abortion? I’ve wrestled with that question for years, because that is my story, and it was my choice.
Crowds do not need forgiveness. Families cannot live without it.
Even though it goes against our instincts, the Lord can enable us to love our enemies.
If there is something you can do to bring healing, why live estranged from a loved one?
There was someone I could reach out to who was flesh and blood — my own father.
When we realize just how forgiven we really are, it begins to change us from the inside out. It's so feeing!
Jesus' death allows us to claim God’s forgiveness daily. So instead of feeling guilty, we can turn away from our sin and back to God.
So often we rank sin on a sliding scale from not-so-bad to really, truly awful. But God doesn't see sin that way.
How could I forgive the woman who had gone after my husband and ultimately married him? I thought about her. Dreamed about her. Saw her in every woman I met.
Heroes don’t hold grudges.
Is there someone you need to forgive?
Courage and strength to ask forgiveness for a wrong you have done.
I witnessed bitterness eat away at my husband until the very end. But it turned out I was holding onto resentments of my own.
Forgive and forget. It’s a well-worn cliché — one that is easier to say than to practice.
Perhaps you are ashamed of something you have done or said. It follows you like a shadow, tapping you on your shoulder. How do you shake off this sin? Can God forgive you? Can you forgive yourself?
Does God's grace have limits? Are some people just too evil to be forgiven?
He teased and tormented me relentlessly. My hatred buried itself deep within me, like a worm eating holes in my childlike heart.