I’m excited about my adult coloring book Picturing Heaven, which released on September 5. The illustrator, Lizzie Preston, and the team at Tyndale House have done a great job with it. (Yes, I said coloring book. Read on to learn more.) Here’s a sample. The layout is Scripture and a brief meditation I’ve written on Heaven and the New Earth on the left, and a full page of coloring on the right. I anticipate some will probably say, “You write biblical and... Read more
You may have seen the “otter video” that’s gotten a lot of traction on Facebook. There’s a spiritual lesson here, I think. If you haven’t seen it, here’s this four-month-old pet otter who (for some reason) is being introduced to water for the first time. Please don’t get caught up in speculation about why someone has a pet otter and why the otter has never before been around water—maybe the otter was rescued and there were problems we don’t know about.... Read more
Who are your mentors, the people who are helping you grow in your faith? Proverbs 13:20 says that “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (I share some more thoughts about the importance of godly mentorship, especially related to our children, in this 1-minute audio clip.) Sometimes knowing how to find a mentor and start that relationship can be challenging. My longtime dear friend Barry Arnold, who pastors Cornerstone Church in Gresham, Oregon, shares some thoughts about... Read more
I’m a firm believer that many of life’s inconveniences involve divine appointments with people the Lord brings into our lives—if only we open our eyes to see them. God appoints the times and places we live (Acts 17), and is a Master of the exact timing that creates the beauty of divine appointments. Over the years I’ve had them in stores and restaurants and on airplanes. Even when I don’t have the opportunity to talk to someone or give them... Read more
A lot of good things, and some not so good, have been said and written since the tragic events in Charlottesville last week. None have been much better, in my thinking, than what Russell Moore wrote. I appreciate this for its biblical base, prophetic nature, and clarity: White supremacy angers Jesus, but does it anger his church? As we watched the televised images of the noxious, violent white nationalist protests in Charlottesville this week, many of us felt our blood... Read more
I really enjoy hearing from readers of my books. But my absolute favorite letters are the ones that come from children and young adults. I’m not able to answer every letter and email and message I receive (though our great EPM staff help me out with their responses to the questions that come in), but following the example of C. S. Lewis, I try to respond to all the letters from children. I want to do all I can to encourage... Read more
Recently I was asked, “We use the phrase ‘servant leadership’ frequently, but what does that really look like? It’s all too easy to desire for our wants and needs be taken care of, rather than acting as servant leaders who care for others, spiritually and physically, behind the scenes. What are your thoughts?” In most cases, I think we in church and ministry leadership honestly do want to be Christ-honoring servants. I’m friends with many pastors, and I deeply appreciate their love for... Read more
I was honored to be asked to write the foreword for John Perkin’s new book Dream With Me: Race, Love, and the Struggle We Must Win, released a few months ago. Dream With Me is wonderful. I read, loved, and highly recommend it. The book speaks for itself, but far more if you know the man behind it. So it’s John Perkins and how he’s influenced me that I want to talk about. Mine is only one story. Thousands, if given the chance,... Read more
Below is an excerpt from the new edition of my book The Treasure Principle, one I’ve tweaked a little for the purposes of this blog. I hope you enjoy it. In Romans 12, Paul lists seven spiritual gifts, including prophecy, serving, teaching, mercy, and giving. I’m convinced that of all these gifts, giving is the one least thought about and talked about in the Western church, and perhaps in the entire world. Of course, all of us are called to serve,... Read more
You will be you in Heaven. Who else would you be? If Bob, a man on Earth, is no longer Bob when he gets to Heaven, then, in fact, Bob did not go to Heaven. If when I arrive in Heaven I’m not the same person with the same identity, history, and memory, then I didn’t go to Heaven. The resurrected Jesus did not become someone else; He remained who He was before His resurrection: “It is I myself!” (Luke 24:39). In John’s Gospel,... Read more
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