"It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." (Psalm 119:71) The brain is remarkably small, but stress can make it even smaller. Recent research has revealed that cumulative stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions, impulses, and social interactions. This … Continue reading Daily Scripture Series – Nov. 29th

"The soothing tongue is a tree of life." (Proverbs 15:4) As a young man, journalist Sebastian Junger traveled to the United States and wrote about it. One day in the 1980's, he entered a restroom in the Florida Keys and found hateful graffiti scrawled on the walls.  Most of it targeted Cuban immigrants. But one … Continue reading Daily Scripture Series – Nov. 28th

"Enoch walked faithfully with God." (Genesis 5:24) Pedro became a follower of Jesus at fifty. He'd been an angry, vindictive man who hurt those around him. As he received counseling from his church, he felt remorse over his past. "I now have less years ahead of me than behind me," he said. "I want to … Continue reading Daily Scripture Series – Nov. 26th

"I was given a thorn in my flesh." (2 Corinthians 12:7). Born Mary Flannery O'Connor, she's best known as Flannery O'Connor, one of the American South's most celebrated writers. Her stories brim with suffering and grace. When her beloved father died of lupus when she was fifteen, a devastated O'Connor threw herself into writing her … Continue reading Daily Scripture Series – Nov. 25th

"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things." (Philippians 3:8) On May 29, 1925, Percy Fawcett sent a final letter to his wife before he ventured deeper into the unmapped jungles of Brazil. He was seeking … Continue reading Daily Scripture Series – Nov. 24th