Articles By Telling the Truth

Jill's beautiful Christmas poem captures the essence of Jesus' boyhood and the brilliance of His majesty. A boy was He, yet very God of very God...

Now that students have returned to colleges and universities all over the world, they are being inundated with new ideas and concepts.

Belief matters. It is quite impossible to overemphasize that fact.

Have you ever felt diminished? Do you ever feel small? Humiliated? Have you ever said: "I'm a Christian! How could I have acted that way, lost it that way, spoken that way, thought that way?"

In between two overseas trips, packing and unpacking, prayer lists, speaking commitments, and the need to get her flowers in the ground and the deer away from her hostas, Jill Briscoe felt overwhelmed with her ever-growing "to do" lists. As she struggled to find time with God, (after all, it was on her "to do" list!) she shares how He unrolled His own list and took some of her "to-dos" and turned them into "to don'ts".

Everyday demands, priorities, and decisions often seem overwhelming — and they are if we don't have our focus on God, who gives us strength and wisdom. Jill Briscoe's moving poem from her latest book, Faith Dancing, captures the worries and anxiety we face every day, contrasting it with the rest we can find in Him.

While many of us confidently say that we have salvation in Jesus alone, is there something we can learn from our Jewish brothers and sisters about discipline and a zeal to live single-mindedly in obedience to God? Stuart reflects on his recent travels to the Holy Land and specifically the zeal Orthodox Jews display in their faith.

When you see an acorn fall to the ground, it might seem like its life is over, but in actuality, it’s just beginning. It has to die to its old life, hanging on the massive oak tree so it can grow into a tree of its own. Have you ever felt like a falling acorn, thrust from the familiar? As Jill shares in her devotional, Christians are supposed to “die” to their personal ambitions and plans so that God can give them more towering, vibrant work.

Raising godly kids in an ungodly world is difficult. How do you teach the children you influence to love God and follow after His ways? Jill Briscoe explains the key…

A stop at a well became a ministry opportunity for Jesus — one that came on the heels of a very exhausting journey. He was tired, thirsty, and waiting for His friends. He could have closed his eyes and ignored the woman who came to the well, but He didn’t, and the story it tells is one of love, forgiveness, and grace. All while He was bone tired! As Jill shares in her devotional, much of the ministry she and Stuart do, they do tired, but she shares their source of strength and encouragement.

Someone has said, “Discouragement is a tired soul with nowhere to sit down.” However, that should not be so for believers in Jesus Christ. As Jill writes in this article, we always have a place of rest and peace.

With books, videos, and magazines competing to give marriage tips, it can become complicated and confusing to know what’s the best way to have a strong, healthy marriage. Perhaps the answer is simpler that we make it, says Stuart in this article on marriage.

Pete Briscoe explains whose job it is to change your spouse, and guess what? It’s not yours! Read more…

Has it been awhile since you've shared your faith with someone or reached out to friends or neighbors who may not know Jesus? Then, you aren't alone. Many devoted believers find evangelism to be difficult and uncomfortable; however, it's what we are called to do. Read Pete Briscoe's story about how he and his wife reached out to their neighbors and what God did with that simple act of obedience...

Godliness that lasts for all eternity is far more important than physical fitness that lasts only a lifetime. It's a brand new year, filled with promise and promises that are often called resolutions. As we begin 2010, what resolutions can we make that will impact us not just in our life on earth, but also for eternity? Although much of the world is focused on physical fitness, what about making a renewed commitment to your spiritual fitness?

In a crazy, confusing world, how can we find true wisdom to navigate marriage, relationships, family, parenting, finances and more? Jill Briscoe explains in a recent article.

Encouragement can come in many forms. A pat on the back, a smile, a whispered word and sometimes, even a kick where appropriate! Stuart Briscoe, in this article, shares several stories of how the awesome power of encouragement give people the drive to carry on!

Money can be an incredible blessing that is used for great good, or it can be something that brings along a lot of trouble in our life. Whatever you believe about money is influenced by one of two places: the culture around you or the Bible. Some of what the culture tells you about money is true, and some of it is way off base. The problem is you don't always know which is which! In this month's feature article, Pete offers a short quiz that asks you to explore 10 statements about money.

Ten cramped hours on a jumbo jet transferred us last week from the hot and sticky south of India to cool, temperate Europe — Germany to be exact.

Soon, many months of uncertainty will be settled once and for all, and we will know who will be the new occupant of the Oval Office.

It's unseasonably warm in Wisconsin this morning — brilliant sunshine, cloudless skies, and a forecast high of 72 degrees Fahrenheit! It's hard to believe it is November 5th!

No doubt you've seen the cartoon that depicts a cute diaper-clad baby with a curl and dimples receiving a gift from a wizened old man with shaggy mane, long bedraggled beard, and pouches under his eyes - clearly on his last legs.

Halfway around the world, with a heavy preaching schedule, Jill lost her voice. Fighting to muster even a whisper, she found herself relating to the Apostle Paul and his unknown "thorn in the flesh." Jill shares what God taught her when her own prayer for healing wasn't answered in the way she hoped.

Even pastors struggle with prayer. In this article by Pete Briscoe, he admits that prayer isn't always easy for him, but that doesn't change the fact God instructs us to "pray continuously" (1 Thess 5:17). As Pete explains, one of the first steps to overcoming prayerlessness is knowing why we don't pray in the first place!

If you are having trouble just "doing today" because you are afraid or worried about something, Jill Briscoe’s J-Mail devotional will be a source of comfort to you. Jill admits her own struggle with worry and fear and shares her intimate conversation with God in which He reminds her, and us, that we are never alone, no matter what is happening. We hope you find encouragement and joy in that truth.

Stuart picked up a hitchhiker one day (back in the sixties when they appeared with astounding regularity!) and learned the young man shared many similarities with King David. They both pondered who they were and why they were here. The belief of the day which was promoted by Charles Darwin was that we are a “little higher than the apes.” But King David got it right when he wrote in Psalm 8 that we were created “a little lower than the heavenly beings.” When you understand that you were intentionally created by God, you can begin to embrace your profound significance! Read more from Stuart…

Follow your heart...it sure sounds romantic and impulsive, but that advice can be very misguided when it comes to your spiritual life. The Bible says the heart is the wellspring of life, but it also says in Jeremiah that the heart is deceitful! Stuart teaches what it means to have a "heart problem" and the only solution to it.

Someone has said, “Discouragement is a tired soul with nowhere to sit down.” However, that should not be so for believers in Jesus Christ. As Jill writes in this article, we always have a place of rest and peace.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve their existence. The other is to believe and feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors....” Would you explain why both perspectives can be dangerous?

In our daily relationships, we often ignore issues and conflicts and pretend that nothing is wrong. There's an elephant in the room! Jill Briscoe points out that we do the same thing with God; we avoid talking to Him about certain things because we're afraid of what He might say. Somehow we manage to shove the elephant through the door of the Throne Room and pretend he's not there! Jill shares a story about her own elephant and how God saw past it.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, we are sometimes enticed by temptation. It draws us closer and closer and if we don’t turn away, we can get burned. Stuart writes how we need to be aware of the allure of temptation. But, he also explains that when you are believer, sin is no longer your second nature, so you have power in Christ to overcome it!