Those who live with vulnerability and a tender heart in the public eye open themselves up to both admiration and ridicule. But Mandisa persistently praised through the pain.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/mandisa-an-example-of-praise/
I'm determined to memorize larger chunks of Scripture. I want God's Word infused deep down into my life more than anything.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/4-reasons-to-memorize-scripture-this-year/
Your single friends may be feeling lonely. If you're in a new relationship or newly engaged, here are five ways you can love your single friends.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/5-ways-new-couples-can-love-their-single-friends/
Two unhealthy people do not equal a healthy relationship.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/two-negatives-dont-make-a-positive/
We rooted for the show's lead couple, but discovered that age and relational experience don't guarantee marital success.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-we-can-learn-from-the-golden-bachelor/
I thought I had it all together — until I signed a check for my security deposit and first month’s rent. I realized I was broke.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/broke-but-trusting-god-will-provide/
When I think back to my life before being on a smartphone all the time was the norm, I realize my interactions with people were much richer.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/want-to-be-happier-talk-to-strangers/
Why hasn’t God healed me? I don’t have an answer to that question. And God doesn’t owe me one, either.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/when-gods-plans-are-different-than-ours/
Financial hardship can bring a lot of worry. Let's see what the Scriptures have to say about finances and anxiety.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/3-scriptures-for-financial-hardship/
Here are a few suggestions of how to respond when a same-sex attracted friend or family member chooses to share their struggle.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-to-say-when-a-friend-admits-same-sex-attraction/
Every generation faces its own set of challenges. And while the specific dynamics in our world may shift, our human needs for love and connection do not.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/is-gen-z-the-most-pessimistic-generation/
What would our Savior, who's seated in majesty at the right hand of God, know of our suffering? Everything.
Growing up, I was the nerdiest of Christian music nerds. I skipped school to meet Michael W. Smith, and still have the rap from “Jesus Freak" memorized.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/why-even-bad-christian-music-is-good-for-you/
Reclaiming the art of play might be an antidote to a life bogged down by busy schedules and adult-sized problems.
Have you ever been guilty of making one of these five dating mistakes?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/5-dating-mistakes-im-guilty-of/
Our bodies and our brains have limits. You were never designed to carry the weight of the world.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/managing-people-and-information-in-a-heavy-world/
I just want to be happy all the time, but that's not reality; life doesn’t work that way.
Striking a balance between mindless small talk and pouring out your heart and soul can be a challenge on a first date. Here are some helpful suggestions.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-to-talk-about-on-a-first-date/
Spiritual warfare isn’t an abstraction; it’s a reality in which we all participate. Which side you aid is up to you.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-reality-of-spiritual-warfare/
When I do set the alarm early and actually get up when it tells me to, I find that the morning offers some unique opportunities the rest of the day doesn’t.
I have an innate desire to seek out other people’s approval, and while this can translate to respecting others in a good way, it is also a dangerous trait.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/confessions-of-a-recovering-people-pleaser/
Sometimes when life feels dreary, it helps to care for ourselves in pragmatic and life-giving ways.
Christianity has little to do with good people doing good things and everything to do with broken people relying completely on God.
This Valentine’s Day, God is quite aware that you and I are still single. And He’s OK with that. Are we?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/why-im-still-single-this-valentines-day/
What am I willing to give up to know and trust God more?
A list of the most desirable states for dating — but is finding a life partner really up to geography alone?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-best-states-for-dates-and-does-it-matter/
I asked my married friends how they knew they should marry their spouse. Here are their answers.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-do-i-know-if-we-should-get-married/
Our worth isn’t measured by our output, results, or tasks completed.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/you-dont-have-to-be-productive-today/
We need physical touch, and we have a model in Jesus of what is appropriate, generous and pure.
It's not too late to prioritize authentic in-person friendships that are deeper and more satisfying.
I was still spinning in this new experience, grappling for signs of what I was supposed to do next. “I feel like I don’t have a map.”
As more and more of us work this way, we need to fight the urge to listen to our self-centered culture that tempts us to make freelancing “all about me.”
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-freelance-without-being-selfish/
Breakups are rough. Here are some things that helped me get through the hard times.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/5-tips-for-healing-from-a-breakup/
We all crave change, but maybe spending January coming up with ways to be new isn’t the best path forward.
Does your single status seem like a problem that needs to be fixed? If you’re worried you’re being singled out, here are three things to watch for.
Some of our best opportunities to love others come in less-than-fragrant circumstances.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-joy-of-a-life-that-smells-bad/
My experience with the popular Word of the Year trend many Christians use to focus their thoughts on God and His promises.
Ideas for creating connection and welcoming the next year with hope and joy.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/ring-in-the-new-year-with-style-and-substance/
We’ve all heard that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. That’s especially true when what you give builds stronger relationships.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/pack-more-meaning-into-this-years-christmas-gifts/
Trusting God through change — or while hoping for change — is hard. But think what we gain from the trusting!
In the midst of this season of spending and excess, what could you give someone to show them the love of Christ?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-meaning-behind-my-christmas-miracle/
If you’re waiting for a fairy tale ending and wondering how to adopt a wise and balanced perspective in the meantime, consider these things.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/practical-ways-to-trade-your-fairytale/
It's time for a social media "love" audit.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-if-christians-used-social-media-differently/
Practical ways to remember Christ’s coming amid the Christmas hubbub.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-celebrate-advent-when-life-is-busy/
What questions do you ask yourself during or after a date?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-best-question-someone-asked-me-while-dating/
What will God do with our suffering? Does He even care?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/when-life-doesnt-go-as-planned/
I believe thankfulness is a discipline that needs to be cultivated intentionally.
Practice these suggestions to prepare yourself for time with family around the holidays.
When I feel like I'm a failure, I do two things: Turn to Scripture, and use a few tactics to combat the cycle of negative thinking.
Does showing up somewhere solo give you the shakes? This little game just might help.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-confidently-go-places-alone/
As Christians, our artistic expression doesn’t have to ooze crosses and fishes. Maybe it's better to simply exemplify the character of Christ in art.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/your-artistic-passion-has-purpose/
If I expect my friends to fit a specific description, I will overlook solid friendship options for likely petty reasons.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/dont-limit-your-friend-circle/
We know we should pursue evangelism and they say there's a formula for it. But does it work?
Are you a Christian? Then this historic holiday is for you.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/four-ways-to-celebrate-all-saints-day/
I'm starting to realize that what I've named contentment is really something more akin to selfishness.
A few ideas for creatively serving the people around us.
There are plenty of self-proclaimed “nice guys” out there that think they’re single because they’re nice. I think they’re single because they’re self-serving, just like I was.
God's plans for Israel — and all the world — will prevail.
Marriage inevitably changes the relationship between a couple and their friends. Here are some suggestions to help you make it through that awkward phase.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/reducing-friendship-casualties-after-marriage/
I wonder if Elisabeth Elliot ever second-guessed her decisions or some of the smaller details of God’s leading in her life.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/can-i-mess-up-gods-plan-for-me/
I confess that when I look back on my life, the fear of graduation paralysis often amounted to nothing at all.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/fighting-the-loneliness-of-graduation-paralysis/
God’s approval of us is based not on our own behavior, but on the righteousness of His Son.
You can date someone from your friend group and maintain your friendships with the rest of the group.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/tips-for-dating-someone-from-your-friend-group/
We all have things we’re waiting for. But how we wait matters to God — and should matter to us.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-successfully-wait-on-god/
Two of my favorite analogies in the Bible are being clay in God’s hands and the treasure in jars of clay. What does it mean to be a vessel for God?
Writing for Boundless all these years has been an education. Here are four takeaways that have shaped me.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/4-life-lessons-i-learned-from-boundless/
The ability to ask (and answer) questions is a good area to grow in, as well as a mark of mature adulthood.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/25-fun-unique-date-questions/
It’s not “if” I make a mistake. It’s “when” and “how often” I will make mistakes.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-boundless-taught-me-about-fear/
There are many good things we can learn from being in relationships, but we can learn just as much from going through a breakup and being single again.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/the-best-breakup-advice-i-39-ve-ever-received/
My years of writing for Boundless have been an education in living life for Christ in all seasons — on mountaintops and through valleys.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/finding-my-people-what-19-years-as-a-boundless-writer-has-taught-me/
I wasn't making any space to hear God speak into my need for direction and wisdom when I turned to people first.
Sometimes the most important thing you can do for God is to be faithful in something small.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/tim-keller-did-small-stuff-too/
Whether you’re asking someone out or rejecting someone you don’t want to hurt, there are good ways – and poor ways – to express your feelings.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-make-a-first-date-ask-less-awkward/
Idol. Yes, hustle is an idol if it draws you into practices that take God off the throne of your life.
“What are you going to do with your life?” When I answer that question, am I listening to Satan's lies? Or am I listening to God's truth?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/not-today-satan-battling-the-enemys-lies/
God prepared you for good works — but is there time in your week to do them?
While these aren't necessarily fatal mistakes, they may be best to avoid.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/5-weird-things-i-did-when-i-was-dating/
Four ways you can be an asset to a friend's budding relationship.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/how-to-meddle-in-someones-love-life-without-being-a-pest/
One man offers his perspective on the dating stalemate inside the church. Maybe it's not as easy to pursue as we always imagined.
What is God doing in the lives of the people around you? Do you take the time to find out?
You think you know what you need, but God knows better. He answers prayers on His terms, even if it’s not in the way you’d expect.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/i-am-living-a-prayer-i-once-prayed/
I’ve traveled to 21 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. This most recent trip had me consider four ways that travel has shaped me.
In a world plagued by brokenness and sorrow, here are four soul-nourishing gifts we can extend to others.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/four-gifts-you-can-give-a-weary-person/
It should be no surprise that Mister Rogers has regained popularity in the past few years. Mister Rogers did wonderful things by listening to who a person was.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/mister-rogers-love-language-listening/
When I fixate on my single status, I isolate myself from deeper relationships with other Christians whose lives don’t look like mine.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/when-you-feel-like-you-dont-belong/
Encouragement for those times when sadness or struggle seem to never stop.
Don’t lose hope and never stop praying. You can’t change hearts, only God can do that. It’s your job to extend love and plant seeds of truth.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/5-tips-for-sharing-your-faith/
I'd accomplished four of the five things on my life "to-do" list. You'd think I was happy. But I wasn't; I was focusing on the one thing I was missing.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/putting-god-before-my-dream-of-marriage/
Although our roommate experience got off to a rocky start, God used the friendship we formed to not only bless us, but also to encourage many others.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/making-peace-with-your-roommate/
We don’t know what happens next in our own stories. How do we handle the tension of not knowing how anything will play out?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/when-god-wont-tell-you-the-future/
How does having a heart like Jesus help you live authentically?
https://www.boundless.org/blog/gen-z-and-the-quest-to-bereal/
Others may not take you seriously as a leader until you reach a certain age or hold a specific job title. Don’t let that stop you from leading.
Maintaining a loving, fruitful marriage does require work. But in my experience, it’s joyful work.
Sometimes childhood friendships don’t survive the move into adulthood. After my friend got married, I almost lost my friendship with her.
What can I learn now by taking a risk? What new opportunities are right in front of me that I’m missing because I stick with what I already know?
When I embrace unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations, I am invited to find my comfort in the Lord.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/called-out-of-my-comfort-zone/
When I project negative facts, motives or thoughts onto other people, it often says more about my heart than it does the person I'm judging.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/what-are-you-going-to-do-if-she-doesn-39-t-text-back/
I need to proactively seek ways to love in quiet and ordinary actions. Do you? Here are 10 ways to love someone today.
Because God has control of my singleness, I am free to pour my time and energy into whatever opportunities come my way, even if they aren’t what I expected.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/giving-god-control-of-my-singleness/
It’s crazy to think about how God uses little things to bring about big changes — sometimes even course corrections — for us.
https://www.boundless.org/blog/dont-despise-the-small-things/