Yesterday, we learned that work is a good thing. We were created to work. But we know from experience that work is often very hard—it often doesn’t feel like a good thing. Why is this?

Well, Genesis tells us that the ground was cursed because of Adam’s sin. Thorns and thistles now made his job of caring for creation more difficult. We’ve been fighting these “thorns and thistles” ever since. Romans tells us all of creation groans from the fall. Work is hard because of sin and the curse!

But that doesn’t mean work is all bad. It still carries a remnant of its original “very good” design. We’ll learn more about that tomorrow.

Anne shares about women's ministry and peace from John 6:3.

When life leaves you standing in the ruins, God’s presence remains the only firm foundation beneath your feet.

The pressure to keep up with the Joneses can be powerful. Rob West reminds us that we see what others drive, wear, buy, and post—and before long, contentment gives way to comparison. As followers of Christ, we’re free to live with wisdom, humility, and gratitude!

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When we spend some serious time out in the sun, it’s pretty obvious. People can see it all over our face. “You got some sun, didn’t you?” Well today, we’ll see when we spend some time with the Son – S-O-N – it may be just as obvious. People will wonder what’s different about us. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie continues our studies of the Church of the First Century in the book of Acts. It’s a series called The Upside-Down Life. Let’s see how to show we’ve been with Jesus.

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Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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For a lot of teens, the pressure to fit in can make them forget who they really are — and sometimes even push them toward choices they regret. In today’s episode, Mark talks with two young men at Heartlight who know what it’s like to struggle with rejection, wrestle with guilt and question their self-worth. They share how chasing acceptance from others led them down difficult paths, and how their time at Heartlight helped them realize the importance of building self-esteem. Tune in to hear how these teens are learning that true belonging starts with accepting themselves and allowing love into their lives.

For more information on the Heartlight residential program, visit heartlightministries.org

Diversification is a key part of wise investing, and for many portfolios, that means looking beyond U.S. markets. But Christian investors may wonder whether they can pursue international opportunities while still aligning their investments with biblical convictions.

Benjamin Bailey, Vice President of Investments at Praxis Investment Management, says the answer is yes. Faith-based investing can extend across a portfolio—including its international holdings.

Faith-based investing begins with the belief that financial decisions can be informed by faith.

Rather than viewing investment returns as the only consideration, this approach seeks to balance two priorities: putting financial resources to productive use while also considering the impact investments may have on individuals, communities, and God’s creation.

For Christian investors, that means asking not only, “How might this investment perform?” but also, “What am I supporting with the resources God has entrusted to me?”

Interest in this approach continues to grow. Bailey points to estimates suggesting that Christian households collectively hold trillions of dollars in investments, creating significant opportunity for believers who want their portfolios to reflect their convictions.

International investments can play an important role in a well-diversified portfolio.

Different countries and regions do not always experience the same economic conditions or market cycles at the same time. Investing across global markets can therefore give investors exposure to companies, industries, and opportunities they might not encounter through U.S. investments alone.

That principle applies to faith-based investors as well.

If an investor wants biblical values reflected throughout a portfolio, those considerations should not necessarily stop with domestic holdings. Until recently, however, Christian investors have had fewer faith-based choices in the international marketplace.

“People want choices, and people want options,” Bailey says.

Applying faith-based investment criteria internationally can be more complicated than doing so in the United States.

Investors need reliable information about companies around the world, including their business activities and practices. Cultural differences, regulatory environments, and varying levels of corporate disclosure can make that research more difficult.

That is why investment managers often rely on global research organizations with experience evaluating companies across countries and industries.

There is another challenge as well: certain markets may contain a higher concentration of companies involved in business activities that conflict with an investor’s faith-based guidelines. Depending on the screening approach being used, that can limit the available investment universe.

These challenges make careful research and a clearly defined investment process especially important.

Praxis recently expanded its international offerings with the launch of PRXI, a faith-based international exchange-traded fund.

The new ETF is designed to address an area where investors have historically had relatively few faith-based options.

Praxis has been investing