Who do you want to be in 2023? God invites us into a new way of being—not just doing the right things, but being transformed to be more like Jesus. And a transformed "you" can lead to a transformed family, community, and world.
When we see the other side as the enemy, everyone loses. When we learn instead to recognize that everyone has something to give, we can begin to grow toward a more perfect union, with liberty and justice for all.
As humans, we all mess up—in our families, at work, and in our relationship with God. When we do, we need forgiveness. Forgiving isn't easy, but without it, we can't have real or meaningful relationships. Thankfully, Jesus shows us the way.
What is the story you tell about yourself? Our stories define our identities, and when we find ourselves in Jesus’ story, we realize there is much more to the world than we previously believed.
We have access to more information than our ancestors could have ever dreamed of, but when it comes to making important decisions, we don’t need more information. We need wisdom. In Galatians 2, Paul shows us how to discern wisely.
When the ground seems to be falling away beneath us, we need solid ground to stand upon. We’re tempted to cling to fixed rules and structures to give us a sense of security, but these are a poor substitute for what really matters. In the book of Galatians, we find ancient wisdom that can help us thrive in anxious times so that we can experience the freedom Jesus gives.
Most of us do our best to avoid thinking about death, and if we’re honest, we’re often in denial. Yet facing the hard truth that we are going to die can enable us to live fully in the time we have — and to allow Jesus to transform our life before and beyond death.
Suffering is inevitable, but the way we respond can determine whether we increase suffering or lessen it—both for ourselves and others. When we choose compassion, we can transform suffering and experience joy in the midst of it.
If we want to find joy, thinking too much about our own happiness can actually be counterproductive. Instead, we need to think of ourselves less—to practice humility.
Sometimes we think life would be better if we got everything we wanted, but often, our desires are not all they’re cracked up to be. As we learn to pray, “Thy will be done,” we find that God’s will and desires for the world are better than we could have imagined.
