Fear That Helps: Parenting

Daniel 1:10 We talk a lot about fear in parenting—and usually in a negative way. We warn our kids not to be afraid.We tell them fear is unhealthy, paralyzing, irrational.And most of the time, that’s true. But not all fear is bad. In Daniel 1:10, we’re introduced to a kind of fear that is reasonable, and productive. […]

God Gives

Babylon was loud. Powerful.Conquering.Full of expansion and development. Ideas were moving fast.Systems were growing.The future looked impressive. And still— A king was restless.A dream lingered in the air.The future felt uncertain. And into that moment— “God gave Daniel understanding in all visions and dreams.”(Daniel 1:17; 2:19; 2:27–28) God gave Daniel what was needed when it […]

Is Jesus Real (to You)?

There’s a kind of question that doesn’t want an answer.It wants a pause. Is Jesus real to you? Not real like a belief you check off.Not real like a story you agree with.But real like gravity.Real like breath.Real like the way your life actually moves when things fall apart. Because if Jesus is real—really real—then some […]

Stand Out Before You Stand Up

There’s this thing that happenswhen you go along with the crowd. You become…the crowd. And the crowd,if we’re being honest,isn’t usually aiming high.The crowd wants comfort.The crowd wants approval.The crowd wants safety in numbers. But here’s the quiet truth beneath all of that: If you always go along with the crowdyou will never be better […]

Peace on Earth

There’s this line tucked into the story of Daniel—blink and you’ll miss it. “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself…”(Daniel 1:8) Resolved.Set.Convicted.A spine of steel. But then—watch what he does with that conviction. He doesn’t storm the palace.He doesn’t protest and yell at the people walking by the palace gates.He doesn’t post a […]

Breakfast with Jesus

My sister-in-law has already started decorating for Christmas—and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. Yes, I’m one of those people who believes Christmas décor should go up after Thanksgiving, not before. My other pet peeve? Wise men shouldn’t be part of the nativity scene—they came later! But despite my noble crusade to correct these “cultural inaccuracies,” I find I’m marching […]