Syd Hielema shared he experienced terrible pain that awakened him from sleep. He ran to his parents’ room with his complaint. His father listened intently and lovingly to his pre-teen son. His father...

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Breastplate...

I have participated in Hearts Exchanged three times, once as a facilitator. Each journey has brought new ideas and insights to my own learning and healing. It has been especially meaningful to me as...

Last month, I had the chance to do something I’ve long wanted to do: see a coral reef before they are lost to bleaching. Over the last 30 years, nearly half of all the world’s coral reefs have been...

With the ashes, we tell the truth of our sin and mortality. With the oil, we tell the truth of our belovedness. With the sign of the cross, we tell the truth of Christ, the one who makes it possible...

Most often my peace is distracted by unjust practices. We desperately and hopelessly ask if everything is almost giving way. What direction do we see our future leading us into? Social and economic...

As a Christian, the topic of truth excites me. After all, my saviour and personal friend Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. As I grow closer to him I’d like to think he gets equally as excited...

The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8 Persecution in Somalia In Somalia extreme...

“I feel sad,” I admitted to my friend Wynette as she rode with me while driving around Tulsa, noticing how things had changed. I was grieving. I was in town to attend services for my former roommate...

Over the winter season, I asked fellow congregants what safe church questions, concerns, and/or opinions they had to better understand what resources could be beneficial to them. One of these...

Context and Pastoral Response Over the past several weeks, Thrive has received numerous inquiries from Christian Reformed congregations across the U.S. whose members have been directly or indirectly...

I prefer the “straight” times! I like to be able to see how everything is fitting together. The “crooked” times are difficult, not just because they’re crooked but because we can’t see how God is...