When my boys and I used to shoot around the basketball, we would play a game called Horse. Perhaps you’re familiar with the game. Each player takes a turn shooting the ball. If the person before you makes a basket, you must replicate that same ...

What do you look for in a church? Do you know a good one when you see it? Many Christians look for a church that fits their preferences: their preferred style of preaching, their preferred style of music, or their preferred demographic (age, st...

We live in a complicated era of human communication. On one hand, people will listen to an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience that lasts well over two hours. On the other hand, TikTok videos and Instagram reels typically run 30 to 60 seconds. ...

You’ve probably seen a business sign or logo with the abbreviation “Est.” followed by a date, indicating the year a business, organization, or location officially began operations. The date of establishment is often used to convey a sense of hi...

Have you ever had to wait? Perhaps you’ve been waiting a long time for a promotion or a pay increase at work. Maybe you’ve been waiting for Mr. Right to finally walk up and introduce himself. You might be desperately waiting until the kids are ...

The crowd excitedly counts down—ten, nine, eight—then as the final number is swallowed up in a roar of cheers, the first firework shoots up into the midnight sky. With a sharp crack, it blossoms into a colorful display. The golden embers begin ...

Perhaps you’ve recently done some holiday baking. Successful seasonal sweets require strict adherence to the recipe. One missing ingredient, applying incorrect proportions, or poor technique can result in a kitchen catastrophe. And so it is wit...

For both the believer and non-believer alike, surely the most powerful part of the Christmas story is Jesus’ humble estate. Hollywood itself couldn’t invent a more mind-boggling script. The king of the universe leaves his heavenly throne room, ...

Harry Houdini was a world-famous Hungarian-American magician, illusionist, and stunt performer. He specialized in escaping seemingly impossible situations. He was perhaps the most famous illusionist known for escaping straitjackets, even while ...

Away in a Manger is one of the most beloved Christmas carols for children. Sung softly as a lullaby, the lyrics remind us of Jesus’ humble beginnings. You can imagine Mary rocking the newborn baby Jesus in her arms, then gently laying him in th...

"Don't settle for just any insurance when there's State Farm.” Perhaps you’ve seen this series of advertisements on television lately. One begins with QB Patrick Mahomes, sitting on a treatment table, nursing his sore muscles after the game, ne...

During the Christmas season, we sing many traditional songs that tell of Jesus' birth. Perhaps the most well-known is Silent Night. Other popular hymns include: “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”&...

The ending is important to any good story. It resolves the central conflict. It reveals consequences for the characters, whether good or bad, which provides closure. A good ending ties together themes and motifs, thus clarifying the story’s mes...

“Circle of Life,” composed by Elton John, was the title track to the iconic Disney film, The Lion King. The song describes an interconnected, cyclical nature of existence, where birth, growth, death, and rebirth form a continuous loop. These co...

Can anything be certain in life? Benjamin Franklin famously wrote, “But, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Yet we go throughout our day with varying degrees of certainty about many things. You’re probably pretty certain...

Though quickly becoming a thing of the past, supermarket tabloids used to entertain shoppers with sensational headlines like, “Woman Gives Birth to Lizard Baby After Mystery Encounter,” or “Scientists Find Evidence of Atlantis… At the Bottom of...

Family friends recently buried a loved one at Arlington National Cemetery. Such a ceremony follows a respectful and solemn protocol. Mourners participate in a formal procession, seated in designated areas according to relation and then rank. Ne...

What are some symbols of strength? There is the iconic Atlas from Greek mythology holding up the earth. There is the bull on Wall Street that symbolizes financial optimism, prosperity, and a strong economy. The eagle has symbolized strength, co...

Humans are often terrible judges of what we truly want, frequently prioritizing immediate gratification over long-term well-being. Our choices are often guided by intuition and external influences rather than rational thought. In contrast, Jesu...

This week, the Major League Baseball playoffs began with a series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. These teams have a long shared history, passionate fans, and geographic proxi...

We're all trying to impress someone. A young boy might want to impress his dad. A teenager might want to impress her friends. A young man looks to impress a girl he’s attracted to. I’ve tried to keep a nice lawn this year to impress my neighbor...

Chiaroscuro is an Italian term that describes an artistic technique, popularized by Renaissance painters like Leonardo DaVinci, and perhaps most famously, Caravaggio. Chiaroscuro uses bold contrasts between light and dark tones that add depth a...

Pastor and theologian John Piper writes, “Prayer is a walkie-talkie for warfare, not a domestic intercom for increasing our conveniences.”In the previous episode of our salvation story, Jesus warned his disciples about the hardships tha...

Mean Joe Green was the backbone of Pittsburgh’s steel curtain defense that led the Steeler dynasty to four Super Bowl titles. Dan Marino is regarded as the greatest pure passer the NFL has ever seen. Dick Butkus was a Chicago Bears legend who s...

On the first Monday each September, we celebrate Labor Day. Common traditions include parades, picnics, and barbecues. While most people enjoy the long weekend, many may not know the holiday’s origin or why it is observed.So it is with ...