Foundations' Blog

When life seems overwhelming and trials seem to be queued up awaiting their turn, it is easy to ask God why? Why does HER life seem so easy? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God ALLOW this pain to continue? Is Romans 8:28 only relevant after I'm through my trial? For some of these questions, we will not have answers on this side of eternity; however, one basic truth helps them all make a little bit more sense: 

As human beings, we do not get to define good. 

Webster's dictionary defines the word as "something enjoyable." That human definition certainly does not effectively portray the meaning of this verse! If we expect Romans 8:28 to translate to "all things work together for something enjoyable," it will be impossible to trust God's Word.

However, what if good is not defined by me? If I'm going through trials in my marriage, if the orders just came through for another deployment, if I lost my job, if...

Forgiveness is a profound concept that can lead to healing broken relationships, restoring peace, and promoting emotional growth. It can often reduce feelings of anxiety, anger, resentment, and depression as well. Forgiveness is a central theme that resonates throughout scripture too. It's not only an act of mercy and compassion but also a divine command that echoes God's love for humanity. In this post, I’d like to consider the significance of forgiveness for everyone (not just the Church), its impact on individuals and communities, and its transformative potential.

The Command of Forgiveness
God's Word repeatedly emphasizes forgiveness as a central aspect of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ, the embodiment of love and compassion, taught His disciples to forgive others as God forgives them. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus specifically instructs believers to ask for forgiveness and to extend it to those who have wronged them. Then again, in Matthew 18:21-22, Jesus encourages His...

This November, my wife and I will be married for 27 years. I would say a large portion of our marriage has been very positive, but some struggles required us to maneuver and navigate to get through them. Many couples have more than simple struggles. They have unfulfilled longings, emotional upheavals, and disappointments piled upon hurts and regrets. And many rightfully conclude that marriage should not be like this. They may ask excellent questions, such as "How did things get so bad between us? What does God want me to do? What does He want for me?"

These are very good questions. While pondering the answer, Christian friends are often sought for their counsel to determine God's will. Perhaps your counsel has been sought. Surely God doesn't want us to be in a miserable marriage, right? Since God is good and God is love, many argue that He does not want people to be miserable. Well, God delivered the Israelites from the misery of slavery and oppression many times. Therefore, we...

We’ve all heard someone say, “If I had a dollar for every time someone said ____________, I’d be rich!” Maybe we’ve said it ourselves. Honestly, this is how I feel whenever I hear a Christian give advice that sounds biblical but is rooted in psychology. The advice has a “form of godliness, but denies its power.” In other words, it sounds good, spiritual, and wise, but in the end, it is empty. People mean well when they help others. We want to help people experience happiness and peace, yet our counsel may fall short because we’ve been duped into believing the counsel is true and accurate. There are three common pieces of bad advice Christians give one another, all of which fall short of the Gospel. Let’s take a look at the first most common piece of advice well-meaning Christians give, but it is not Biblical. The other two will be mentioned in future blogs.

“You need to love yourself more” or
“You need to love...