Adventist Review Podcasts
Weekly podcasts from the Adventist Review, a publication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The podcast covers topics related to faith, spirituality, and church news. It aims to inform and inspire listeners with discussions on biblical teachings and current events from an Adventist perspective.
Episodes
GRACE AND CHANGE (July 24, 2026)
“If God is good and grace is real, why do I still feel badly about my mistakes?”
A popular illusion of new Christians is that the rescue wrought for them by Jesus is supposed to save them from any sorrow about their past. In the shallow mythology we clutch, everything about our new life as believers ought to be “peace, light, and joy.”
Yet God’s Word poignantly asks, “Do you not know that God’s ki
Is Sola Scriptura Self Defeating by John Peckham
Picture a World Cup final with no referee — both teams disqualifying each other's players, every goal disputed, chaos taking over. Someone has to make the final call. But who decides the meaning of Scripture? It's a question that cuts to the heart of one of Protestantism's oldest principles: sola scriptura. And the objections are sharper than you might expect. If Scripture never actually says "Scr
UNFORGIVEN? (July 17, 2026)
“Because he’s never said he’s sorry”. . . “She kept the ring my grandma wanted me to have” . . . “He laughed at how I cringed at his cheap insult.”
All these—and more—as reasons that we can’t—or won’t—forgive. We acidly rehearse the story of our injury, deepening divides and festering in feuds. Soon we come to like the bitter taste of bile, for anger feels powerful, and power is what we want.
But
THE LEARNING CURVE (July 10, 2026)
The old proverb reminds us, “Some things must be seen to be believed.”
And so it often is with grace: we can’t believe in something so miraculous—so unexpected, undeserved—even though God’s Word repeatedly declares it: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2;8).
Until we see grace in the flesh—in someone near enough to care—we wond
Ordinary Man. Extraordinary Heart by John Wesley Taylor
When you picture someone who changes the world, who comes to mind? A CEO? An influencer with millions of followers? But what if the most lasting impact rarely happens on center stage at all? Meet Andrew—a fisherman so ordinary his name simply meant "man." No famous sermons. No epistles. No miracles bearing his name. He didn't even make Jesus' inner circle. Yet today five nations claim him, and the
UNFORCED LOVE (July 03, 2026)
What makes us valuable to God—all stubborn, broken, wayward as we are?
It’s not the sometime good we do—
forgiving unrepentant foes;
feeding hungry kids afar;
warming pews and saying prayers;
performing unpaid mission work.
Not one of these, nor all of them, can make us dearer to the One who chooses from His unforced, unrequired love to cherish every soul He made. “I have loved you with an everlas
THE LOVE THAT HOLDS US ALWAYS (June 26, 2026)
“If you could go back in time to change one thing about your life, what would it be?”
The answers range from comic to cautionary: “I’d be better-looking.” “I’d have a smaller nose.” “I’d make a lot of money.” “I’d marry a different person.” For each of us, there’s one thing we would change to give ourselves a better story.
“I’d understand God’s love much sooner in my life,” say the truly wise amon
SUSTAINABILITY (June 19, 2026)
Breathe deeply now, and let your heart grow quiet as you turn from sins forgiven.
“By this we shall know that we are of the truth,
and reassure our hearts before Him whenever our hearts condemn us;
for God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything” (1 John 3:19-20).
It’s not the voice of God that drives you on to fear, or rush, or labor past your strength.
We dare not make the Spirit own
THE DAILINESS OF GRACE (June 12. 2026)
“We must hear the gospel every day because we forget the gospel every day.”
Attributed to many pens, the proverb is profoundly true, regardless of who wrote it. Even though it undermines our vanity of recall, it underlines that we frequently ignore the most important things. Our default thinking is unarguably a fault: we trust ourselves to do what is impossible.
For millennia, humans have sought
A Light in the Pearl of the Indian Ocean:
A Light in the Pearl of the Indian Ocean: The Faith and Courage of Rosie Le Même
One night, a young woman in Mauritius prayed — and her room filled with light. A voice told her to go to Europe. She went. What she found there would change not just her life, but an entire region.
Rosie Le Même never set out to start a movement. She simply wanted to follow God with her whole heart. But her quiet cour
Hidden Wounds: How Sexual Trauma Shapes Intimacy and Faith
Hidden Wounds: How Sexual Trauma Shapes Intimacy and Faith
She sat alone in a dark church parking lot, desperate to speak but unsure where to begin. Her marriage was loving — so why did she feel frozen, broken, and afraid?
Sexual trauma doesn't stay in the past. It follows survivors into their most intimate moments, distorting the very things God designed to be beautiful. In Hidden Wounds, registe
REDEEMING THE PAST (June 05, 2026)
What stops our progress, pulls us backward, paralyzing us with shame?
The past—our past—the foolish, broken history that trails each of us. None can escape its power: all feel its painful weight. Even those the world calls saints are men and women who know their brokenness most fully. The great apostle Paul famously moaned, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Ro
Faith to the Very End: Pastor Jack and His Final Witness
Faith to the Very End: Pastor Jack and His Final Witness
He was diagnosed with a rare cancer at 19. Doctors took the muscles from his leg, and he learned to walk — and live — all over again. But Pastor Jack wasn't done. For years he preached, pastored two congregations, and poured himself out for others. Then the cancer came back.
What happened in that emergency room on the last night of his life
Selfless Love by Keala Thompson
Selfless Love: How to Infuse Your Marriage With Divinity
Most of us enter marriage hoping to be loved well. But what if the real question isn't what can I get — it's what can I give?
In this thought-provoking article, Keala Thompson explores why so many marriages drift toward selfishness or cold transaction, and what it looks like when a relationship is anchored in something deeper. Drawing on Scr
FINDING CONFIDENCE AND STRENGTH (May 29, 2026)
Sit quietly with grace, and let it work its slow, substantial change.
Nothing is more common for those whose hearts have been divinely warmed than to pledge themselves to new, exacting duties. We’ll read our Bibles for an hour each day; pray for all our friends and even for some enemies; tell “unconverted” colleagues, neighbors—even strangers—of their task to do as we have done. We move at hyper-s
WHAT ONLY GRACE CAN DO (May 22, 2026)
“This is not your own doing” (Eph. 2:8).
One author calls it “the most contrary line in human history”—six words that run against our culture, schooling, and experience.
We push ourselves from bed to answer the alarm we set just hours before. We wash and eat and ready clothes for work, conscious that one slip in our performance may unravel all the day. We move ourselves to work to push through hou
Protesting the Church By Shane Anderson
What if a church leader you trusted made a serious mistake—how would you respond without causing division or gossip? In this timely, practical guide, veteran pastor Shane Anderson shares hard-won wisdom from decades of denominational service: the three common pitfalls to avoid (assumptions, social media, withholding tithe) and four Christlike steps that actually bring resolution. Learn how prayer,
ALL THE TIME (MAy 14, 2026)
What makes your eyes light up with glee, or stirs you to an unforced smile?
Is it the 4-year old who stomps through puddles—without boots? Is it the lily blooming on some sun-drenched bank, so hidden no one else can find it? Is it the ballad from your youth that fills your thoughts with gentle love?
So grace delights us when we learn that it is God’s first way of seeing us—that He is glad to see
Two Angels in a Boat by Dick Duerksen
What if two ordinary fishermen in a tiny boat appeared out of nowhere during a deadly Mozambique flood—only to vanish without a trace? Young pastor Simoque was drowning in the raging Limpopo River, praying desperately for his family, when strong hands pulled him to safety and carried him home through the storm. But when he rushed back with money to thank them… no boat, no footprints, no sign they
How to Protest the Church | unScripted EP 15
Frustrated with your church? Thinking about leaving?
You're not alone. Many Christians — especially in the Seventh-day Adventist community — are wrestling with that very question as their churches shift in directions they never expected.
But what if leaving is exactly the wrong move?
In Protesting the Church, the case is made that true Protestants don't walk out — they stay, speak up, and work for
Job's Wife By Claudio and Pamela Consuegra
What if the most heartbreaking grief in the book of Job wasn’t just Job’s—but his wife’s silent agony beside him? She lost everything too: ten children, security, and now watched her husband suffer in ashes. In one raw moment she cried out, “Curse God and die!”—words born not of rebellion, but overwhelming pain. Yet God never rebuked her. No condemnation, only merciful silence and later restoratio
Which Way?, The way of the Lamb versus the dragon’s way of power By John Peckham
What if true victory over evil comes not through raw power, but through the suffering of a Lamb? Jesus faced every temptation to “win” the easy way—by force, presumption, or compromise—yet chose the costly path of unselfish love instead. In Gethsemane He refused the sword; on the cross He conquered by dying. This powerful article reveals the stark contrast between the dragon’s way of dominat
THE LONG ARC OF GRACE (May 08, 2026)
If you can’t recall the day or the hour you came to faith, you’re in good company.
Millions of believers candidly describe both deep faith in Jesus as their Saviour and an inability to recall just when it happened—a “sunrise experience” as one author calls it.
This is the way that grace unfolds, for “Damascus Road” conversions are far fewer than we claim. That road, it should be noted, was 150 mil
unScripted EP 14 | From Saudi Arabia to Global Mission
What if a shattered childhood in secular Seattle, followed by an unwilling move to 120-degree Saudi Arabia, could forge one of the most mission-driven leaders in the Adventist Church today?
In this heartfelt episode, Shawn Boonstra sits down with General Conference Secretary Rick McEdward. From culture shock in a military compound, to a powerful call into ministry, to serving in the Middle East an
God and Money,What have tithe and offerings to do with my relationship with Jesus? by Gerald A. Klingbeil
What if returning just 10% of what God has already given you could transform your trust in Him—and fuel a global mission? Far from a burden or ancient ritual, biblical tithing reveals a God who owns everything yet invites us to test His faithfulness. This thoughtful exploration shows how the Adventist Church’s unique solidarity-based system supports pastors, teachers, missionaries, schools, and me
GRACE WATCHING OVER ME (May 01, 2026)
I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free;
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
The soprano’s voice soars above the swell of the orchestra, her eyes caught up to heaven. Every heart in the concert hall leans forward, drawn by an ache, a longing.
Why do such moments move us so deeply—in seasons of faith, or in our midnight struggles? Why does our hope cling more tightly
How Quiet Faith Wins | unScripted EP 13
What if your faith story feels too ordinary for God to use?
In this raw, unfiltered episode of unScripted, Shawn Boonstra sits down with assistant editor Hannah Drewieck to talk about staying connected to your world church — and why the quiet, everyday faith might actually be the most powerful kind.
Hannah shares her surprising journey from Hope Channel International to Adventist Review, how she s
FREEDOM TO BE HEALED (April 24, 2026)
It seems, at first, a profoundly foolish question: “Do you want to be healed?”
Jesus once asked it of a paralyzed man who for 38 years had lingered beside a legendary pool.
The answer feels self-evident: who wouldn’t instantly reach out for healing, for wholeness, for a mended body and the restoration of fractured relationships?
But Jesus knows how tenderly we caress our wounds; how suffering weav
unScripted EP 10 | Heaven's Riskiest Adoption
What if God’s radical love turns messy, broken lives into cherished members of His family?
In this engaging episode, Shawn Boonstra and Siku Dako explore the powerful April issue of Adventist Review, centered on the theme of adoption. Discover how one family’s real-life adoption story reveals breathtaking truths about God’s costly, inconvenient love for us—while we were still sinners.
They also un
unScripted ep 12 | GC Date Got Changed?
What if your faithful tithes and offerings are quietly fueling a massive global push to finish God's work? In this special edition of Unscripted, recorded live from Spring Meeting at the General Conference, Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim break down the latest financial reports with surprising transparency and hope. Discover how the church is staying fiscally responsible amid global uncertainty, exc
HELP MY UNBELIEF (April 17, 2026)
So you don’t have perfect faith. There are moments—even hours or days—when trusting God’s continued goodness seems beyond your reach. You wonder if the effort of this life of trust is wise—or yields anything.
Join the crowd—the great, blood-washed crowd of those who say they follow Jesus. Unlike the spiritually intimidating stories we often tell each other, there are no sturdy souls who never know
How the Bible Affects Money — Alistair Huong
What if the way you handle money revealed the true condition of your heart and faith? This insightful article lays out 10 powerful, timeless biblical principles that transform how Seventh-day Adventists view finances—from recognizing God as the true Owner of everything, to living as faithful stewards who multiply resources for His mission. Discover why tithing is only the starting point, how to av
She Opened the Way to Christ
What if one courageous woman, stepping off a ship in 1895 with nothing but faith and a trunk, could spark an entire mission movement across India? Georgia Burrus arrived alone in Calcutta—no station, no salary, no guarantees—yet quietly entered zenanas, taught Bible stories, and opened hearts. From her humble school came India’s first Adventist converts: a suffering widow and a brave child widow w
More Than Interpretation
What if the key to vibrant Deaf ministry isn’t just skilled interpreters—but genuine partnership? When hearing and Deaf Adventists team up beyond translation, something powerful happens: walls crumble, gifts flourish, and the gospel reaches hearts in fresh ways. From a hesitant teen interpreter mentored by a Deaf believer, to a small church where members learned basic signs to welcome visitors, th
Adopted by Love
What if one risky decision to open your home could forever change two families—yours and a child’s? When a couple welcomed a troubled Ukrainian girl for Christmas, they never imagined the chalk heart she’d draw with their names, declaring them “сім’я”—family. What began as compassion led to costly adoption, deep healing, and a profound glimpse into God’s heart. Through laughter, tears, and transfo
How Superstitions Are Ruining Spirituality | EP 8 unScripted
This week on unScripted from the Adventist Review, we dive into the March edition and uncover some eye-opening truths!
We explore how superstition can quietly creep into Christian (and Adventist) life—morning devotion guilt, fear-based rituals, not putting anything on the Bible, and more. Seth Pierce’s powerful article challenges us: Is our faith rooted in Scripture or mixed with magical thinking?
unScripted EP 9 | Church Dropout Crisis
Join Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim in unScripted EP 9 for raw talks on SDA life from the March Adventist Review. Tackle the hot debate on Ellen White's city vs. country counsel in our urban world – is it time to step up outreach? Face the facts on marijuana and vaping: are they harmless highs or faith-killers? Plus, Shane Anderson's 7 raw reasons people skip church, with real tips to connect and k
A MELODY FOR THE UNCHAINED (April 10, 2026)
Is grace, at heart, believable?
‘Of course,’ you say. Why not believe? It’s the noun that always follows “Amazing,” the tune the bagpipers skirl at dawn; the soaring hymn a tenor lifts into a vast cathedral.
For some, it may be what the sermon is about, or what we learned in Bible class.
But is grace believable at the baseline of our fears—in those tough places in the soul where shame and memory c
THE MORNING DOUBTS DISAPPEAR (April 03, 2026)
“What if?” the soldiers wondered, as they watched His body sag. “A miracle man with a brazen claim—could He really rise again?”
“What if?” the wise ones wondered, with a nagging, dull unease. “Could disciples come in the dead of night and spirit His body away?”
“What if?” the governor worried, as he doubled the guarding troops. “Is there truly a power in heaven or hell that would dare to break my
THE JOURNEY OF A WEEK (March 27, 2026)
We walk the Passion story slowly, knowing it will seem to end as far too many stories end—with pain, with shame, with lonely death.
The palm fronds we waved wildly on Sunday were woven into simple brooms that swept up 30 tarnished silver pieces; in ropes that tied Messiah to the blood-stained lashing post on Friday. All things trudge slowly toward His end, as if no other fate could be.
Of Himself,
NOTHING IN MY HAND I BRING (March 20, 2026)
Ever long for the bad old days when you could at least depend upon yourself?
We tire of grace when we’re tempted by the easy arrogance of effort. “If I just say another prayer; read another Bible verse; light another candle—then I can pull the love of God toward me and close up any distance.” We think to work our way back toward His will with scrupulous self-discipline—with vegetables, and fasting
A WORLD WITHOUT HATE (March 13, 2026)
The great illusion of our age is that the world must be divisible into clans and races and nations who inevitably hate each other. The histories of some countries—and entire political careers—have been built on this dangerous idea.
Left versus right; rich opposed to poor; theists against atheists; the educated despising the illiterate. Trillions of dollars, euros, yen and rubles have been invest
Ep 6 unScripted—Daniel 3's Fiery lists
Welcome to Episode 6 of unScripted — live real talk on what's happening in the Seventh-day Adventist Church right now. Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim unpack the latest Adventist Review, Bible truths, and jaw-dropping mission stories.
This episode covers:
New March 2026 Adventist Review spotlight: Superstition cover story + Justin's editorial "etcetera" on Daniel 3—why the Bible's repetitive lists p
A LIGHT THAT NEVER FAILS (March 06, 2026)
If you should meet a person happy with his life, or joyful in her story, you’ve likely met someone experiencing the deep security of living in the grace of God.
He can look upon the rubble of his past with clarity but without shame—for he has found the liberating power of forgiveness. She can candidly assess the threats and stress the future may portend without the customary fear: her “life is hid
unScripted Episode 5 | Can the Church Ever Be Wrong?
Can the SDA Church ever be wrong? Was Hitler really a Christian? And was that "impression" from God... or just last night's pizza? 😅
In this raw, no-holds-barred episode of unScripted, Shawn Boonstra sits down with Adventist Review assistant editor Jonathan (the guy with the fancy logo code we all envy) for real talk straight from the heart of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
We dive into:
Audrey
TOO GOOD TO BE FALSE (February 27, 2026)
It’s the critic’s counterclaim, the “faithful doubter’s” last redoubt:
“Say less about the grace of God, and more of human duty.”
Afraid that others may secure by gift what they haven’t won by long, intensive effort, persistent voices challenge those who speak and preach of grace.
“You make it all too easy,” they complain. “Where’s the struggle, pain, and sacrifice? Where are the nights of deep u
unScripted EP 4 | Why God Didn't Heal Like We Prayed
In this episode of unScripted from the Adventist Review, Shawn Boonstra sits down with associate editor Sikhu Daco to unpack the powerful February 2026 issue.
They dive deep into:
Emily Gibbs' raw testimony: diagnosed with a brain tumor while pregnant — "Not One Miracle" explores why God sometimes works beyond physical healing.
Dr. John Shin (Loma Linda oncologist): "Dying to Live" — what if the S
GRACE GIVEN, AND NOT LENT (February 20, 2026)
Grace seems to fail a million times an hour. In every place where mercy isn’t honored and accepted, grace appears an unwise use of heaven’s kindness and forgiveness.
Hard hearts chill with chosen hate. Clenched hands will not open to the gift. Death and dryness multiply.
But grace is never limited by how it is received. Like some deep-hidden spring whose source cannot be found, grace flows to si
unScripted Episode 2
Join Shawn and Justin on Unscripted from the Adventist Review for honest talk about life in the SDA Church in 2026. From exploding interest in astrology (80% of young people believe it!) to how Daniel 2 battles false worldviews with real prophecy.
Highlights with timestamps:
1:29 Astrology apps, NASA data + AI, and the spiritual vacuum it reveals
3:13 Postmodern search for meaning – prophecy an
unScripted Episode 1
Review Hosts Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim dive into candid, unfiltered conversations about faith, ministry, and the global Seventh-day Adventist Church.
In this episode:
Justin Kim shares his journey from wanting to be a doctor to becoming Editor of the Adventist Review.
Explore the January 2026 Adventist Review issue: "Have We Reached the World Yet?" – featuring a stunning global church growth m
WHEN POLITICS MISLEADS US (February 13, 2026)
How does God’s grace invade our daily conversations?
Certainly not by retreating to our separate corners and hurling brickbats at each other. Of all the “stuff” we absorb from our angry culture, the habits of accusing and deriding are undoubtedly the worst.
But as grace finds a home in us, we grow more willing to admit that we might be mistaken. Receiving grace requires we confess we are wrong,
PRACTICING GRACE (February 06, 2026)
And so you’ve got him “dead to rights,” as old books used to say. You’ve caught him in the lie, the theft, with poison pills he slipped into the office water cooler. There’s no way he can wriggle free from how he injured you and hurt your reputation. Now all your moral juices seethe because—for once—you have the power.
This is the crucible where what we understand of grace is seen and fully known.
EARLY GRATITUDE (January 30, 2026)
Eyelids flutter, and we sense—more than we see—how differently light looks than when we fell exhausted into bed. Awareness jabs at everything—the too-hard pillow; the blanket thin against the chill; the shoulder sore from hours of unmoving. Awake—too soon; too late; too urgently. The undone stuff of yesterday grabs our first thoughts. Oh no! Not that! How much? How soon?
And in those fitful moment
ENVIRONMENTAL TRUTHS (January 23, 2026)
Below our deepest hurt and darkest shame, there is the grace of God—forgiving us, rebuilding us, repairing all that’s broken.
Above our highest joy and most euphoric moments, there is the sheer delight of God—applauding us, encouraging, enlarging celebration.
Through every stage of every journey—in trust, in fear; in faith, in doubt; in youth, in gray maturity—we’re never left alone or told to mak
ONE HERO ONLY (January 16, 2026)
One hundred years ago, the world knew all about ticker-tape parades.
Returning war heroes, major politicians, and sometimes even aviators and athletes would be honored by a slow-motion ride in an open-topped limousine through the canyons of New York City’s financial district, showered by literally millions of paper fragments from stock ticker machines. It was the ultimate symbol of popular success
COUNTER-INTUITIVE GRACE (January 09, 2026)
We celebrate achievement in every arena of our daily lives, and rightly so.
Parents rejoiced when we first slept through the night; the first time we rolled over in the crib; when we finally tolerated the puréed squash; when we took our first tottering steps.
We were congratulated for learning our numbers; mastering the alphabet; riding a bicycle; reading a sentence. People cheered when we scored
FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND (January 02, 2026)
A famous journalist once wrote, “The true secret of editing is to know what to place in the wastebasket.”
That’s good counsel for those who seek to live in grace during 2026 as well. The secret of successful living is knowing what to throw away, what to forget, what to discard. In the desk of life from 2025 there are likely many things you’d do better to be without.
Throw away the slights and the
IRRESISTIBLE JOY (December 26, 2025)
So here’s the greatest cause for Christmas joy—not that you deck your house with hundreds of lights or fill your home with dozens of gifts—but that the Lord of heaven and earth entered into the commonness of our lives to be our Saviour from sin and self-absorption.
He’s the reason why at every Christmas a song rises from millions of redeemed men and women to mingle with the anthem of those long-ag
THE UNFORGETTABLE CHILD (December 19, 2025)
Had He arrived with fanfare from some royal balcony, with heralds officiously announcing His nativity to thousands massed to hear the news, He might have changed the politics of one small corner of the world for 40, even 50, years.
Had He been born in some rich villa spilling down the hillside to the sparkling Aegean, we might find passing mention of His name in annals of the empire.
Had He been b
THE POWER OF GRACE (December 12. 2025)
The story that brings joy and hope to billions every Christmas brings dread to those corrupted by power.
The old prophecy—fulfilled in the birth of Jesus—that “unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder” (Isa 9:6)—that prophecy rattles every regime built on force, and shakes the citadels of coercion. All the armies they sent and all the dynasties
DRENCHED BUT DELIGHTED (December 05, 2025)
Come stand with me beneath the waterfall of grace.
There is no waiting line, no jostling for position. There are no elbows, scornful faces, or murmured whispers of contempt. No one here will keep you from receiving what your withered spirit needs.
This is the fellowship of the redeemed. This is the company of those who gladly—daily—open their parched lives to the “washing of rebirth and renewal by
ALL IN A MOMENT (November 28, 2025)
The moments that most change our lives aren’t just the big ones when we say “I do,” or land the great new job, or stand on some breathtaking peak to stare at wondrous landscapes. Quiet moments also have within them the stuff of destiny.
That moment—sometimes in a crowd; more often alone—when we trust ourselves to grace—haltingly, even tentatively—becomes the pivot of our everafter.
Our looming fe
FINDING YOUR WINGS (November 21, 2025)
Is there a greater joy than knowing for even one hour that you are in the center of God’s will—that through some miracle of grace, you are aligned with plans the Father made to win you back and win the hearts of those you love?
Is there a better confidence than the one which every Sabbath reminds you that “the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein”?
BREAKING THE CYCLE OF WORRY (November 14, 2025)
We worry for the best of reasons, or so we tell ourselves.
An unexpected bill arrives. The car won’t start. A three-year old grows feverish. Layoff slips are piling up for even long-time workers.
The brooding circle of our fears goes rounding for an answer. In all those moments “in between,” we just can’t break their vast, erosive power. We want control—ours or anyone’s—to hold at bay dark outcome
THE STRATEGY OF GRACE (November 07, 2025)
Here’s a good word for all those self-help strategies.
The websites and the bookstores are crowded with a million crafted plans for how to lose unwanted weight, get control of personal finances, or marry the person of our dreams. Millions of pounds of body fat have been shed; ten million family budgets have been strengthened and secured—and at least a handful of romances have been kindled by wise
LIVING THE GRACE (October 31, 2025)
You’ve heard the song a thousand times, but have you lived the words?
For more than 250 years, believers have cherished the clear simplicity of “Amazing Grace.” Celebrated recordings 50 years ago by bagpipe bands and pop artists catapulted the old song to international prominence as a kind of “hymn for the world.” Millions resonate with the ache it expresses for freedom, redemption and a future.
GRACE HAS A FACE (October 24, 2025)
It’s natural to think of the story of our lives as a gradually rising line of progress.
We were once toddlers: now we stride—and even race—through professions and relationships. Our minds have grown acute: we’ve mastered subtlety and sarcasm, posturing and self-promotion. We’ve learned the fine art of “faking it until we make it.”
But the growling in the basement grows insistent. We sense—and if w
FORGIVING AND FORGETTING (October 17, 2025)
Ah, the joys of a clear conscience.
Entering a room of jostling colleagues, sure you’ve spoken kindly of each one. Finishing your tax return with certainty you’ve paid each charge the law required. Walking by mouth-watering chocolates for six days straight without even opening the box.
This doesn’t sound like your story? You either?
The inner voice that calls to mind our secret crossings of the li
A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE (October 10, 2025)
It’s natural enough to prize what benefits me most.
Self-interest is the driving force in almost all our culture. Do I like it? Does it taste good? Did it make me laugh? Does it put money in my pocket? We measure almost everything by what we get and gain.
And so it’s natural to think of something as extravagant as God’s unprecedented kindness as a kind of fortunate transaction that wipes away our
DELIGHTED BY THE MUSIC (October 03,2025
Have you ever listened to a dull and tired song—only to be stirred and thrilled when it reprised in some new, higher key?
Then you know something of the grace of God, whatever else your story tells.
Grace comes to us as unexpected joy when our performance, short or long—had lifted neither us nor anyone around us. We were muddling through the music, vocalizing rote notes and mangling the lyrics.
A LONG AND GRACIOUS STORY (September 26, 2025)
When most of what we read and see is governed by some soulless algorithm built to anger us or sell us something—it’s hard to know if joy is real, if love is kind, if gentle words are really meant to bless.
And yet joy lingers, gentleness persists, and tens of millions of times a day, someone whispers “I love you” to a child, a spouse, a friend, a former enemy.
This is true for both those who d
ALL OF GRACE, GRACE FOR ALL (September 19, 2025)
“He’s so much better than I am,” we say, proving just how little we know of someone else’s life.
“She’s a saint,” we say admiringly, assuming that the woman we can see is always just as good as we imagine.
We assign a top-notch grade to behaviors we observe, and make assumptions that the life consistency we can’t achieve is somehow available to others.
But grace reminds us of the brokenness we sha
COMING OUT OF THE DARK (September 12, 2025)
Going underground is one of humanity’s oldest responses to fear, war, or pestilence.
Archaeologists have uncovered vast subterranean cities, carved out by those who believed that living in the light made them vulnerable. Victims of persecution, fugitives—even families fleeing natural disasters or climate shifts—all chose to dwell where only torches and flickering lamps could pierce the darkness.
B
WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS (September 05, 2025)
“I just can’t catch a break,” he sighs, watching floodwaters climb five feet up the walls of his ruined home.
“I’ve got plenty of luck,” she weeps over the crumpled fender of her old Toyota. “It’s just all bad.”
The weary chorus of this world is a dirge about how little control we truly have. Medical bills crush us. Friendships we cherish grow distant and cold. The machines on which our lives depe
GRACEFULLY WRONG (August 29, 2025)
Most of us inherited a God no kinder than we were—a deity whose major role seemed meting out tough penalties for willful or impetuous mistakes.
Like primitive believers everywhere, we read His displeasure in thunderstorms, bruised knees, and lost puppies—for was there anything for which we weren’t somehow to blame?
So it is that finding grace is the great unlearning of our past, the sweet and joyf
HIDE AND SEEK (August 22, 2025)
Ever thought of running away from God?
Like naive children in moments of hot shame and brokenness, we imagine there’s some deeply-hidden spot where what we’ve done cannot be seen, where we can huddle with our guilt. Perhaps in some dark mountain cave. Perhaps beneath the blankets of our bed. Perhaps beneath the cellar stairs.
But God—and grace—are inescapable, and our most private hiding spots are
VISIBLE GRACE (August 15, 2025)
Sometimes through the dust and smoke, we trace the features of a friend—someone whose rich, remembered kindness soothes the soul and calms the turbulence. We hold on to such people for good reason: they have held us—gripped us, even—when the world seemed topsy-turvy and every voice was loud.
They were—they are—God’s grace in human form, a bit of heaven lingering to give us hope and get us through.
GROWING FAITH IN GOD (August 08, 2025)
What is the speed of trust?
It’s an odd question, since rapid acceleration and safe, human connection seem antithetical—moving in opposite directions.
And there’s the point—and the reason we don’t attempt lasting friendships while driving Formula 1 cars, in the backstretch of an 800-meter race, or while racing each other to the top of the corporate ladder.
Speed implies competition, a desire to be
THE HERO OF THE STORY (August 01, 2025)
We come naturally by our self-absorption. From our earliest moments, we’re congratulated for taking first steps, trying new foods, mastering new skills, for learning how to navigate the myriad complexities of an ever-widening world. The story is, and has always been, about us—our goals, our striving, our gaining, our getting.
But then one day the world refused to be our private oyster. There was
THE IMMENSITY OF GRACE (July 25, 2025)
Grace isn’t fully knowable inside the monuments we’ve built. Our finest structures merely hint at what the Scriptures call the “breadth and length and height and depth” (Eph 3:18) of love the Father gives us.
Cathedral arches just suggest the soaring kindness of our God. Our well-stocked libraries of knowledge—comprehensively collected; exquisitely curated—tell but a fraction of the story, deeper
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