Recently, my daughter and I spent the day together. We were having a great day, but I had this nagging anxiety nipping away at my ability to be fully present to her. Struggling to not cave into despair, we left the house to drive around. A curious thing happened. New …

When younger, I never imagined myself as a husband and dad. All I wanted was to travel—like rugged, vagabond travel— and capture stories of religious minorities in war zones. The thought of settling down and living a white-picket-fence life, to me, was counter to living life to its fullest—it was …

Simeon was a man blessed by God with a special promise. We do not know his age when God made this promise, nor do we know how long Simeon waited for its fulfillment. We don’t even know much about him, whether he was a priest, a lifelong laborer or a …

One reason Jesus chose to dedicate the majority of His time on earth in family life points to a reflection for this continuing Christmas season: relationships. Our lives bear scars from broken relationships, contrary to God’s plan. Christ knew this—and He came to restore us. Multiple relationships suffered due to …

Even for the greatest saints, people can be challenging to work and live with. Why else would God command us to “love one another?” While we can live with “iron sharpening iron” as some distant concept, when our souls are being grazed by the willpower, hearts and intellects of others, …

One of the most admirable qualities of the handymen, carpenters and manual laborers in my life is their deep love for their families and serving others. They might be messy or rough around the edges, but they come when we need them—even when the word “need” is used loosely. And …

My papaw was a lifelong carpenter. He was an incredibly strong man who knew how to use his tools and when to use them. He was a master problem-solver and loved serving others.   The genius of his handiwork was not limited to his workshop, however. Papaw was a family …