The Great Debate: Can You Bring Heaven to Hell?
The church property where the Compassion program is hosted is an oasis. The small lot feels expansive compared to the cramped quarters of the slum. The entrance is marked by trees, vegetation and pink hibiscus; a stark contrast to the stench, filth, and garbage just...
How To Punch Hopelessness in the Face
Leif and I had the privilege of sitting down with the head of Kenya for Compassion International, Joel, to learn more about their work to serve more than 93,000 kids throughout the nation. “What’s the hardest part of your job?” I asked. “Capacity,” Joel said. “We’ll...
What If You Spent Your Life On The Things Money Can’t Buy?
Today Leif and I spent the day in one of the poorest slums in Nairobi, Kenya. We visited a Compassion project committed to providing education and food to those in the most desperate situations. (Click here to learn more). At one point, I asked our leader, Rich, if...
Will You Help Us Provide Food & Education for More Than 200 Kids?
Today is the beginning of a dream come true. Leif and I are headed to Nairobi, Kenya, to meet the child we’ve been privileged to sponsor through Compassion International. Leif and I have both engaged in child sponsorship—programs that ensure that children in majority...
Sunday Still: Breathing Life into Others & The Wonder of Restoration
"The wonder of restoration is exemplified through the visions of an exiled Old Testament prophet, and realized throughout the life of Christ.In Jesus’ journeys, he routinely looked on piles of dead bones, people the religious leaders dismissed, and spoke life, leaving...
On Community, Friendship, and Being Fully Known: An Interview with @sniequist
This week, I'm giving away THREE copies of my friend, Shauna Niequist's new book Bread & Wine. Shauna Niequist is the author of Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet. She lives outside Chicago with her husband, Aaron, and their sons, Henry and Mac....
How My Faith Has Changed Since The Organic God
Over the last year, my friends at Zondervan have been hard at work taking the hardback version of The Organic God and bringing it to paperback. Since the book’s release in 2007, more than 50,000 people have been through The Organic God book and 6-session DVD Bible...
The Secret To Overcoming Your Greatest Fear
Zondervan just released The Organic God in paperback and eBook. Reworking the manuscript gave me an opportunity to reflect on God’s faithfulness and goodness. I thought you might enjoy the following adaptation from the book: Several years ago, I remember reaching a...
God Is With You Even In This (and a Wonderstruck Wednesday Challenge)
We are created for a relationship with God, and that means we’re meant to experience God’s presence. We need God’s presence and the awareness of His nearness if we’re going to grow into the fullness of all God intends. Apart from His presence, we can begin to convince...
What’s Your Greatest Heart Desire? Learning to Love God Above All Else
All too often I find myself tempted to live a distracted life. You know the kind- the one where within the busyness of life you still manage to perform the stand-up, sit-down, clap, clap, clap of regular church attendance, hope for a new nugget of knowledge or insight...
