We Cannot Advance God’s Kingdom by Pounding Plowshares into Swords

aw_nonviolence

With the uprise of gun violence in churches, should we consider securing ourselves with armed security guards? With the threat of North Korea and a nuclear strike, should America preemptively strike them first? America’s militarism is justified, right? I mean, God ordains violence when used by good government, not?

Well, allow me to turn your world upside down. I think we’ve had this wrong all along.

Read More

Grieving Behind the Curtain

aw_grieving_mom

Today marks five years since Mom was killed in a car accident. I think the most difficult thing about losing someone you love is that while the world goes on, while everyone else’s life continues as they’ve always known it, yours remains shattered. Loss shatters the world. Especially, the loss of life. And a family who has lost a Mom is just as wounded five years later as they were the day she died.

Now, I know not everyone’s life continues on as normal. Others, if not most, experience their own wounding as well. And that’s just it: we get caught up in our own wounds and forget those next to us.

So, as I sit here today, remembering the day Mom cared about my heart, and as I take my family to visit her grave, my boys wondering if there will be toys at Grandma’s grave, I think of all those I have met in the last five years who have also lost loved-ones. I think of those who grew up without a Mom. At least without a Mom who cared for them. And I’d like to share some of my favorite Scripture verses in my journey of grief.

Read More

My Boyfriend Struggles with Porn, What Should I Do?

What if you’re dating right now and your guy is looking at porn? What should you do?

I’ve been one of those addicted to pornography. I am also one who is free, today. Telling my wife-to-be the story of failure was the most difficult thing I’ve done. Yet, it was also really healing.

So, in an effort to help couples navigate their own relational turbulence, especially when it involves sexual sin, here are a few things I suggest you do if your man, the guy you deeply care about, is hooked on porn.

Read More

When You’ve Messed Up Your Life with Porn

aw_porn

I was thirteen when I first looked up pornography. There was a three-day period when I didn’t care whether it was right or wrong—I fully indulged. Calculating times when I knew people wouldn’t be around, planning my strategy for searching, worshiping, and retreating.

But then I got caught. And once I knew I couldn’t get away with it, when I realized how violating my “acts of worship” were, I felt engulfed by shame.

Read More

Anything But Simple

aw_simple

Plainspoken is a project focused on giving “plain people” (Amish, Hutterite, Mennonite) their own voice. Many novels have been written about “plain people”—Amish love tales, to be specific. But few of them actually depict the reality of life for those who come from “plain” backgrounds. Luci’s book is a personal memoir of her life as a Mennonite. So, upon her request, following is my review of Anything But Simple.

Read More

What I Love about Jesus

aw_jesus

There are so many people who are disillusioned with church, today. It is easy to get overly focused on the negatives and weaknesses of church that we miss the profound beauty and glory it displays to the world. So, in an attempt to help us regain (or stay focused on) the beauty of the Bride of Christ, I am going to share a three-part series entitled, “What I love about…,” starting with Jesus.

Read More

Two Deadly Temptations Young Influencers Fail to See

aw_temptations

If you are an older brother or sister, a husband or wife, a teacher, parent, project manager, writer, speaker, deacon, pastor, coach, person with friends, or anyone that relates with other people, you have influence. As your influence grows, you will face temptations that could destroy you.

In this post, I discuss two particular temptations I have found that we least expect to face when we are young influencers.

Read More

Still, My Soul Be Still

We are in the middle of moving from Chiang Mai to Los Angeles via New York City. We landed at JFK on June 1st, and hit the westward road June 17. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with friends and family and seeing the great landscapes of the United States.

Unfortunately, while visiting my grandparents in northern Illinois, we got word that Teresa’s cousin, Sheldon Bacher, was killed in a car accident. We had just seen him a couple days before! Sudden, tragic deaths like this jerk the heart so deeply–it’s numbing. Words can’t sympathize… this isn’t how life is supposed to be! We turned around and headed for South Carolina to grieve with the family and share in their loss. As I drove, today, a song that became meaningful to me over the time of my Mom’s death kept running through my mind, so I thought I’d share it here.

“God, you are our God! And we will trust in You and not be shaken.”

Read More