narrow road, eternal life
One of the most prevalent of modern myths is the idea that boundary-less living leads to freedom. A permissive lifestyle may feel free for a time, but it will soon trap us. In ludicrous manner we shout, “I’m free! I’m free!” as we back into a cage and lock the door.
a destructive god
There are two essential spiritual truths that we ignore at our peril. The first is that a variety of “gods” seek our allegiance. The second is that we take on the qualities of the gods we worship. Jesus described money as one of these alternative gods, and the secular world is now telling us how worshiping this god affects us.…
meaning of life
"The meaning of your life is the meaning you give it,” writes philosopher A. C. Grayling in his book Thinking of Answers. He suggests trying to create meaning in our lives through the pursuit of relationships and goals, by developing our talents and interests, and through our hopes and desires. Grayling concludes that life itself is meaningless and the only meaning…
the frugalista
What could make a woman pass on a pedicure, refuse hair appointments, and choose at-home eating over dining out? For Natalie P. McNeal, the answer was $20,000 of debt. She became “The Frugalista” when she declared a personal “no-buy month,” and saved hundreds of dollars, which she applied to her balance due. By continuing this practice, she soon paid off…
the choice is yours
A missionary friend who has lived in Uganda for nearly 20 years recently told me that his wife doesn’t enjoy their family’s annual trip to the United States. The reason? “There are too many choices there!” she says.
It’s true that—with fewer consumer products at our disposal—life in Uganda can seem less complicated than in the Western world. I’ve found,…
autocorrect?
Ben Zimmer, linguist, lexicographer, and language columnist for The New York Times, recently wrote an article about how incorrect the autocorrect text feature on our smart phones can be. He told how Hannah had received a text message from her father, which read: “Your mother and I are going to divorce next month.” No sooner than Hannah received this seismic…
rich
Their fatigue and discomfort blended with the barren landscape as the group walked through the dirt streets. Trash littered what could hardly be considered front yards. This arid area of Choluteca known as “The New City” exists in denial of its name. Unclothed children, wild dogs, and a few large pigs ran through the streets with little purpose or focus…
the kingdom of things
Since 1993, sales of luxury cars in my country— Australia—have doubled. Since the 1950s, Australian homes have doubled in size, yet the average family has decreased by a third. We’ve been on a pilgrimage to the “kingdom of things.” But, on arrival, we haven’t found fulfillment. Thirty percent of us take some form of mood-enhancing substance (like drugs, alcohol, sleeping…
