As we wrap up this week's content shares, we look back a week to the 4th of July. Many of us celebrated to one degree or another, being thankful for the great nation in which we live. But given the unfortunate state of our nation, can we really be patriotic, especially in a post-Christian America? How should we even view our nation anymore? Well, I hope this article from Answers in Genesis will help flesh that idea out a little, as we continue to live as Christians in this fa

Imagine being in a situation where you had to be told constantly to be brave and strong. A high-pressure moment where you needed a constant reminder that you weren't alone. An extra boost when you might be facing discouragement. That was the case for Joshua. Shortly before Moses died, and even after, God consistently told Joshua, commanded him in fact, to be strong and courageous. But God also reminded Joshua that He would be with him through it all (Joshua 1:9). Wouldn't it

Depression is an unpleasant companion. If you've ever experienced it in any form, then you know what I mean. It likes to stand on your shoulder, shouting in your ear. It often tells you the truth, though many times it is half-truth, truth without context. As many times as I've gone through that valley, I wish I could say I've learned a lot of things, things that would be positive. But it's always an arduous season. It's always hard. It gives rise to questions, even the same q

Happy 250th birthday to the United States. It's amazing to think that, on one hand, this nation has survived for so long, yet in the grand scheme of things, it is still so young.

In light of the United States of America's 250th birthday tomorrow, I thought a "holiday" related post would be good. This article from Gotquestions.org answers the question of whether or not Christians should celebrate holidays. The summary points at the end, I think, are great, especially the 4th point. In short, if you're going to celebrate the 4th of July, and America's 250th (as I personally believe Americans ought to do, just my opinion), do so unto the Lord.

If you haven't already gathered from many of the blogs on this website, I'm a tad bit nostalgic. On a walk recently, I got thinking of all the small adventures I've had in life. Nothing crazy really. Many a solo hike in Shenandoah or other parks. I even briefly thought of what the top three might be. But it's a tough choice, maybe something I can write about at another date. Then, I got thinking about life in a broader sense. My spiritual life and those adventures as well. It

Today's share comes from Eric Watkins at Ligonier. I like how he explains elements of the gospel almost like many fairy tales tell their stories. Not that he says it's fake, but that there is a clear Hero, and that Hero saves the damsel in distress (us, the church). It's a good reminder that we are called to service in the church. "Paul does not see our serving one another as an arduous duty driven by guilt, fear, or manipulation. To the contrary, it is the beautiful freedom

Have you ever asked someone why they think God created us or why we're here, why we exist? Have you ever wondered about it yourself? And what is the answer? Do you think that it's because God was lonely? Maybe you've heard that it's so that God could express His love towards something or someone. But is that what we see in Scripture? Are we left to wonder about the "why" of our existence, and, frankly, the "why" of everything? At the risk of breaking it to you too quickly, th

Sometimes these shares can be very convicting. This is one such time. I hate to admit it, but I certainly can relate to all the forms of pride this article mentions. But conviction over my own failings doesn't mean I shouldn't share this excellent article from the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors. "St. Augustine probes, 'Why art thou proud, O man? God, for thee, became low. Thou wouldst perhaps be ashamed to imitate a lowly man; at any rate, imitate the lowly God.

Father's Day is a time, of course, to think about what it really means to be a dad. I think we can take it a step further; it is a time to think about what it means to be a man, especially a godly man. At my day job, since I work with many who are considerably younger than I am, I have been called "dad" on occasion. It's a nice sentiment, especially since I am not actually a father even at this stage in life. It's a role that I embrace, honestly. But I definitely fall short o

This will be my 250th post. And, while I certainly wish that this thing launched into the stratosphere off the bat, the reality is that endeavors like this typically take time. Sometimes, a lot of it. For much of the time up to this point, I also recognize that, perhaps, the direction hasn't been clear. Is this a photo site? Is it a ministry site? What is it? I hope that with the recent name change and the content I have put out, the answer to that has become clearer. I trust

Today I want to share another video that I recently worked on. I know I had posted one earlier in the year, and it is still my official first video. As such, it will be posted to YouTube in the near future, Lord willing. But I also recently finished this one, and it will be titled "episode 1". This one summarizes much of what I discussed in the recent articles on the events surrounding Lazarus' death and resuscitation. I hope that you'll find it encouraging and consider likin

In keeping with the topic of mental health and depression, here's another share from ACBC. This one is a conversation dealing with how we can approach loved ones who are depressed; how we, ordinary people, can help. It's a tough subject to be sure. But what we shouldn't do is continue wrongful stigmas about the problems of the soul. So, I hope this is a helpful read for you, especially if you know of someone who is going through a rough patch. Maybe God desires to work throug

Well, sometimes it's good to do an extra share for the week, I suppose today is one of those days. This one will be from Gotquestions, and it is about Job's three friends, and what they got right, and what they got wrong. If you're unfamiliar with the story, Job is put through a series of severe trials. As he mourns, some of his friends come to offer comfort, or as it turns out, more trials. Instead of giving him any real help, they mostly tell him that his problems are a res

This short from Keith Foskey on YouTube poses an interesting question, and one that should help in our gospel conversations. I believe I have heard this before, but being reminded is definitely helpful. Not much else to say about it, just go ahead and click the link and watch it!

In the passage surrounding the raising of Lazarus, we can learn a lot of different things. But undergirding it all is the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, that He is God, and this story proves it. John sought to prove that Jesus was who He said He was by writing this gospel. Throughout this book, he shows much evidence that proves Jesus is the God-Man. As we wrap up this series on Lazarus, I want to hone in on the central element to this story: Jesus as Messiah, and briefly wh

This short post on discernment by Tim Challies, is our share for the day. Discernment, especially in Spiritual matters, can be a tricky thing. I know for me, distinguishing between "what is wise from what is wiser still" is especially hard. I appreciate that he also touches on the "dangers" of discernment. While leaders and teachers need to help protect the church from error, it takes discernment to know how best to do that in the plethora of arenas out there, be it the churc

Martha and Mary show incredible insight in this chapter of John, don't they? Despite whatever doubt they may have shown (vss. 33, 40), they still understood that Jesus could save from death. When first speaking to Jesus, both sisters exclaim, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (vss. 21, 32), showing their understanding of who He was and what He could do. As we continue to draw application from the story of Lazarus, I wanted to look at our future hope

Wednesday's share is an article from Ligonier about daily devotionals. Do we need them? Are they legalistic? Honestly, I would prefer not to say much about the post, but instead to ask you to read it prayerfully. I hope it will be a help to you!

Today's share comes from Dr. Adam Tyson over at Fortis Institute. In this podcast, he relays an Old Testament story involving King Ahab and the advice he sought. It's a cautionary tale, and an important one with much application for us today, particularly for men seeking to make wise decisions. I know for myself, it is easy to fall into some of the traps Dr. Tyson mentions. Traps like merely seeking affirmation instead of real advice. It is certainly a convicting listen, but