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Hopefully we can agree that we’re anxious, worried, and preoccupied with worst-case scenarios that are unlikely to materialize. We are told we are in an existential crisis, journeying in uncharted territory, and voting in the most consequential election of our lifetime. It all feels heavy and dark. We’ve become apoplectic about the apocalyptic.

It might make you want to cry.

I’d recommend laughing instead.

Why is it so hard to laugh right now? Some say that the world is just too full of bad news. Perhaps. Without question, it’s necessary to mourn the brokenness of the world. But has an obsession with other people’s pain inadvertently broken our own funny bone? I’m with Madeleine L’Engle; “A good laugh heals a lot of hurts.”

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It’s a beautiful grace that worldviews can change!

The one you hold now is probably somewhat different from the one you held at an earlier stage in life. Each metamorphosis likely came one clash at a time.

A Christian worldview, formed by divine revelation, is arrived at decisively—and often through much wrestling. Because it so starkly contrasts worldly views, paradigms must scuffle to shift.

In fact, a change in convictions can be so drastic, it causes inner turmoil. Often, the aftermath of clashing worldviews leads to an identity crisis, as crashes usually ricochet beyond the collision site.

I think Moses underwent a few such crises.

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Click here to read the full article at RENEW.org: https://renew.org/four-rules-for-christian-friendship/ 

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We know integrity when we’re around it, but what does the word “integrity” actually mean? It’s got the same root word as the one found in “integrate,” “integrated,” and “integral.” The idea is wholeness. It’s bringing the parts together into one whole.

So, what would a friend with integrity be like? A friend with integrity is one person. He’s bringing his whole self into the relationship—not just the parts he wants you to see. He’s not just showing you the side that pretends to like you but he’s really competing with you behind your back.

No, a friend with integrity brings her whole self into the relationship—so that you’re dealing not with two people, but with one. That’s integrity.

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What’s so great about humility? Surely, there are virtues which are more fun to get. So, what makes humility worth cultivating?

Here are a few reasons to get humble:

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In 2013, The New York Times ran an article about a former Methodist minister looking for a fulfilling life after giving up her faith in God.[1] “I didn’t know what life would be like without church,” she said. “There is no community. There is no social network. The majority of friendships are gone. There is no place I can go every week where I know people and they know me.”

Finding other atheists sharing her longing, Teresa McBain took a new job at Harvard as a resource person for those without faith. Her job? “Building congregations of nonbelievers.” She was essentially an atheist church planter.

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I believe summer nights should end with ice cream. And I don’t just mean frozen desserts; I mean ice cream. Frozen custard counts. Same for gelato. In a tight spot, exceptions can be made for frozen yogurt. Please don’t bother me with sorbets, sherbet, popsicles, Italian ice, or snow cones–all sophisticated ways of smuggling frozen water into your body.

Our family has tried to find America’s best scoops, especially during vacation. St. Louis loves Ted Drewes like they love hot summers and red t-shirts. Wisconsin is dotted with glorious frozen custard served with a side of fried cheese. Cincinnati rightly upholds Graeter’s. Kohr Brothers on the Atlantic coast peddles soft serve for an eye-popping $7, but still hits hard on a steamy day. Berkey Creamery at Penn State won us over; if the Nittany Lion offense could match the magic of the creamery, James Franklin would have three national championships by now. But State College is an eternity away; maybe for now we can hope that Memphis will get a Jeni’s so that a taste of brambleberry crisp won’t require a 3-hour pilgrimage.

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Before the pandemic, I think it’s safe to assume many people would not have thought of loneliness as a big issue. Maybe it was an unfortunate inconvenience, but one that was fairly easy to overcome. But once isolation, quarantine, and distance became a reality, more and more people began to understand the impacts of loneliness and the importance of closeness and social contact.

In fact, even before COVID, Cigna performed a research study that showed that 61% of Americans were lonely, with the biggest demographic being Gen Z teens between 16 and 24 years old. Gallup conducted a panel survey through the COVID outbreak to see the shifts in loneliness and, as is expected, numbers were at an all-time high during the pandemic, then lowered once quarantine procedures started to lift.

But that doesn’t mean we’re not still lonely. In 2024, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, declared loneliness as a national epidemic, with 30% of US adults saying they feel lonely at least once a week.

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When my son, Andrew, was 5 years old, my wife and I read The Message for Kids from cover to cover with him. It’s a fantastic children’s Bible, and we all found ourselves looking forward to each day’s reading. Right about the time we closed the final chapter in that Bible, we found ourselves at a special worship service where families were encouraged to take communion together.

Having just read the Bible and feeling confident in his knowledge of God, Andrew couldn’t wait! So, on this particular Sunday, we stood in a small circle and I explained how the piece of bread reminds us about Jesus’ body on the cross. He was nodding along, listening intently, and I was sure I was making a lifelong impact on his young mind. Next, I picked up the cup of juice and began explaining how it reminds us of Jesus’ blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins. 

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At our 2025 RENEW.org National Gathering in Indianapolis, longtime minister Bob Russell spoke on the joy and importance of being a disciple making grandparent:

If you want to learn more about being a disciple making grandparent, here are some resources you’ll find helpful:

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I’ve heard it said, “We aren’t called to go to church. We are called to be the church.”

Halfway true. Here’s the problem with that statement. Being and going strengthen each other. I can’t imagine how the being part of my walk with the Lord would strengthen if the going part of my walk with the Lord were fading.

Going and being are not opposed to each other. They help each other. Furthermore, gathering is part of what the word “ekklesia” means. (Strange to argue against it.)

Here are ten simple reasons why I go to church weekly.

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