When Jacen Phillips was born, he had a twin brother named Nathan. Nathan had serious medical complications and passed away when they were just two years old. At Nathan’s funeral, instead of flowers, their family asked for stuffed animals to donate to the hospital that had cared for him.

And Jacen never forgot.

If God gave you enough to pay off all your debt – and someone else’s too – who would you choose to help? Now swap “money” for “mercy.” That’s where it gets a little harder, right?

I’ve always leaned on humor... sometimes in serious moments, too (which doesn’t always go over well). But I used to wonder, why am I wired this way? Comedian Jeff Foxworthy said he wrestled with that same question when he was younger.

Waiting can feel like the hardest part – especially when you’re waiting on an answer from God. James 1:5 says if you lack wisdom, ask God, and He will give it. But here’s what I’ve noticed: it doesn’t say how that wisdom will come… or when. And if you're anything like me, that “when” part can really test your patience.

There’s dedicated... and then there’s pajamas-at-10pm-plugging-in-Chromebooks dedicated.

Sometimes I wish I had a dashboard light that could warn me when my heart’s getting off track — like a little “pride building” or “forgiveness overdue” message. But as I was thinking about that this week, I realized God has given me a warning system: it’s the fruit I produce.

You know that awkward moment when you accidentally say "love you" at the end of a phone call... to your boss or a client? It happens!

Getting the flower beds ready for spring has me thinking about roots. I planted some new shrubs, and the instructions said they needed well-drained soil – because even a healthy plant, sitting too long in bad soil, will develop root rot. The plant might look fine on the outside for a while, but damage is happening underneath.

A second grade teacher asked her class to write about the most loving person they know. Some kids chose a parent or grandparent... but Brett chose God.

When life feels hard and you’ve been praying for things to get easier, it’s easy to wonder if something’s gone wrong. But someone recently reminded me that giving your heart to Jesus doesn’t save you from trouble – it saves you from sin.