Hidden in the midst of our long Iowa winters is the season of love: Valentine’s Day. It’s a time for chocolate and card companies to reap huge rewards as we focus on the significant others in our lives. Symbols like hearts and tiny cupids emphasize the importance of romantic love in our culture. Beginning with the Valentine’s card you gave to your first crush, there is a constant push from society telling you that true happiness is only fulfilled when you…
Do you believe God loves you? Whether you attend church regularly or have never stepped foot inside a church, you have probably heard that God loves you. Maybe you grew up singing the song, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” But then you became an adult and life happened. Now you struggle to reconcile the message of God’s love for you with all the trials you have experienced: a spouse who left; or a…
Life sure can feel chaotic and unpredictable. One minute you are experiencing joy, contentment, and maybe a little success and the next moment you feel like you were punched in the gut with some life-altering news. At face value, all these ups and downs of life appear to be coincidental, unpredictable, and random. But did you know that the Bible paints a very different picture of our world? According to scripture, our lives are part of a much bigger story…