To the one who is living in secret sin, From the title, you may assume I will tell you to bring your secret sin into the light, which is true. Yet, I know this invitation may sound trite and unappealing. If it were that easy, you would have done so already—but chances are it is […]
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The story of Jonah is strange and filled with surprises. He is the only prophet who runs in the opposite direction, the true wise men of the story are Gentile sailors, there is a rescue-ish fish, and, at the end, Jonah is one cranky prophet—to name a few. Then there is his prayer, spoken from […]
The post Jonah’s Psalm of Thanksgiving appeared first on CCEF.
Following the rhythms of the church calendar provides the blessed opportunity to engage with the significant events that herald our Christian faith. It is now December, and here we are again, preparing to worship and remember the beginning of Christ’s earthly life. It’s a new opportunity for us to hear, ponder, and marvel at the […]
The post He Came to Earth . . . He Came for Us appeared first on CCEF.
Oh Lord, you who are our Eternal Rest,we come to you this day with restless hearts and weary bodies.We feel deeply our weakness, our finiteness, our burdens of suffering and sin.Lord Jesus, we hear your invitation: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”And so, we come […]
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A recent interaction with my son led me to reflect on the messages people receive about who they are. My son asked me why there are so many pictures of him and his sister around our house, and I gave him a simple and true answer: “Because I like seeing you.” I’m thankful he asked […]
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“Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32–33) The very thought that depression could be present […]
The post Today: A Devotional for Depression appeared first on CCEF.
Over the past year, I have dedicated much of my ministry work to parents. I have not sought to provide guidance on how to parent but rather to bring comfort for the many distressing emotions parents experience. One of the more challenging emotions parents experience is regret. When parents struggle with regret, we review and […]
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I wish you could meet some of the people who work at CCEF. We are, of course, far from perfect, but we see Christ in each other, and we see evidence of the Spirit in the way the Lord forges a community among us. One place this happens is at our morning prayer meetings where […]
The post The Day God Held Lot’s Hand appeared first on CCEF.
Do you lament that moments of beauty, joy, and laughter in your life are so fleeting? It’s like one of those Instagram videos of a toddler eagerly smiling and accepting a slice of lime (“Ooh, a new food!”), which gives way to a puckered and confused expression (“Wait, what?!”). Moments of joy are too easily […]
The post Stretching Joy: 10 Ways to Notice God’s Everyday Mercies appeared first on CCEF.
Most of us would like to learn how to have better conversations with those around us. We would like the awkward conversations to be less awkward. We would like the great ones to be more frequent. For people who know Jesus Christ, we want these great conversations even more because our words are the primary […]
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Sometimes life gets hard. We feel despondent in our suffering, uncertain of how and when it will end. It can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel and that restoration and redemption are impossible. We see no silver lining, and no “think positive” mindset can soften the pain and confusion. […]
The post Look for the Glimmers appeared first on CCEF.
So many minds get stuck in unproductive places. They get into a mental rut and can’t escape. It could be a past regret that is replayed and replayed, or a fear about the future. Or it could be another person’s comment that you take personally, or doubts about your salvation, which means that you are […]
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