Crosswalk Video

“Be joyful always.”1 Thessalonians 5:16WHACK.The crack echoed from one ear to the other as my head smacked up against the wall. It hurt … so bad. Stopped dead in my tracks, I felt my forehead for a split and a drip of blood and was relieved to find neither. With frozen veggies applied to the place of impact, I went back to survey how I missed a literal wall. I walked into it full force. Ever since my family moved, I continually make wrong turns in the new house, because the daily paths I walked at the old house had become so automatic. Every time I get to the top of the staircase, I turn to the right …but turning to the right no longer leads me to my room …it’s a left-hand turn now. I wish I could say my collision with the wall that day was the only casualty to my adjustment to all the directional changes in my daily path.

God’s love for you and me is passionate, pure and beyond anything we’ve ever experienced, accepting us as we are. Our good, our sins, our past and our flaws are all bare before His eyes, yet being the perfect Gentleman and Father He is, He washes, changes, teaches and grows us tenderly. He reminds us of our worth and beauty as His daughters. He wants to forgive, bless and take care of us. He loves us with unconditional agapelove.

“That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” -Ephesians 1:20-21

When it comes to sin in our life, sometimes we attempt to overlook or give excuses for our behavior if we feel like our actions are justified because of our circumstances. For example, when I am sleep deprived, my flesh thinks it perfectly acceptable for me to deal out a hefty dose of sarcasm to my seven-year-old who has asked me the same question twelve times before my morning coffee or to murmur under my breath that I can’t believe my husband left his glass of milk from the night before on the floor again and, of course, the toddler just dumped it all over the living room right on cue.But those actions do not glorify God, and they are rooted in sin. If I am a child of God, His Spirit will bring conviction to my heart with His Word because it is my heart that needs attention and change. When I’m tempted to complain, which we are all naturally prone to every single day, this passage from Philippians 2 comes to mind to bring truth to my heart:

Nobody feels cool in middle school - not even the self-proclaimed orassumedcool kid crowd. It's one of the times in our lives when everything changes at once. The time we need to be reminded of what doesn't change.

“And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.”Luke 4:9-13When I consider this scripture in Luke, I find myself in awe of who God is and what He did for us when He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world. Why, you might ask? Jesus' coming changed the trajectory of life for all of us who are His. The beauty of what took place on the night of Christ's birth should echo in all we as Christians do.

Single Moms, when Father’s Day comes around do you feel alone––maybe even discouraged? Do you find yourself holding back tears because your little ones have no daddy upon whom they can shower homemade cards and kisses? Or maybe you’re the mom who stands alone in the doorway of your home as your children ride away to enjoy a few hours of playtime––with their every-other-weekend dad.

Living for the approval of others is never a worthy goal. Let’s face it; people pleasing is a moving target. We’ve all heard, “You can’t please all the people all the time,” so if you’re a people pleaser, you will exhaust yourself trying to measure up to everyone else’s standard for success.

Gracious God, We are so thankful and abundantly blessed to be called Your beloved children. Please help us seek Your acceptance and walk in a way that honors You, Lord.

Heavenly Father, As we embark on journeys this summer, we come before You with humble hearts, seeking Your divine protection and guidance.

There is nothing we can do to earn God's love. It's not based on who we are or what we do or don't do. It's all based on who God is, and He is love (1 John 4:16).

Lord, we cannot do any of this apart from You. Please give us Your strength. We love you. Thank you for hearing our prayers and being all we need in every situation. We commit our loved ones to Your loving and capable hands. Amen!

Michael Foust recently sat down with Christian rapper Kevin "KB" Burgess to discuss the Christian rap industry, politics and his new book, Dangerous Jesus.

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."- Luke 12:7

Dear Father, Thank You for waking us up today. Thank You for allowing us to live another day. Thank You that You have already gone before us and know what the day and our futures hold.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13, NASB).

Michael Foust recently sat down with reality tv stars, authors and producers Willie and Kori Robertson to discuss their upcoming projects.

I’ve heard it said that the Bible is God’s love letter to us. His love for us reaches so deep, he gave his most precious gift – his Son – so we could have eternal life with him.God’s Word expresses that deep love in verse after verse. But the truth is, some of those verses are harder to accept than others. We make a commitment to try and read the Bible every day but stop short. We struggle when we get to those parts we’d rather skip over. Because some of what God has to say makes us feel uncomfortable.

Michael Foust recently sat down with author and music manager Scott Brickell to discuss his new book on the ins and outs of the music industry.

Almighty God of the Universe, You are the One who has watched over me from the day of my birth, even to the middle of this night. I praise You because You're holding me even now. Thank You that You never sleep, You’re never off-duty; You’re never unaware of what’s happening in the world and in my life. Thank You for Your constant presence and protection. You have been so good to me!In the next few moments, think back on the ways in which God has shown His protection, His presence, and His provision in your life, and take time now to praise and worship Him for that.