contentment

Dear Roger, I have had a very successful career. I have multiple graduate degrees, traveled the world and had a host of admirers. I was famous for my contributions. But …

The widest river in the world is not the Mississippi, Amazon, or Nile. The widest river on earth is a body of water called If Only. Throngs of people stand on …

Happiness happens when we give it away. Be the family member who offers to wash the dishes after dinner. Be the colleague who serves the staff by arriving on time …

It’s that time of year, when transitions happen: seasons close and new seasons begin. Maybe you’re a student who just headed off to college. Maybe you got a new job. …

Joy. It’s not getting what you want. It’s appreciating what you have. Joy isn’t always the easiest choice or the obvious choice, but joy is a choice. The Apostle Paul …

DAY THREE-ABUNDANT LIVING The fatherly advice of this wise saying contains a warning and a promise humility and godly living bring health and well-being. The two parts are inextricably bound …

David, the author of Psalm 23, illustrates the relational and covenantal nature of God from the vantage point of a shepherd taking care of his sheep. Just as sheep are totally …

Am I sinning if I’m not happy as a Christian?” In answering this question, I’m assuming two things of readers: You are familiar with what I’ve written about how happiness and …

Flight crews routinely announce, “If you’re traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, in the case of an emergency, secure your own oxygen mask first before helping the …

Happiness happens when we give it away. Be the family member who offers to wash the dishes after dinner. Be the colleague who serves the staff by arriving on time …

Is your day consumed with regret from the past or fear of the future? Do you ever have times in your life when you say to yourself, “Whew, where did …

#1 Next time your day goes south, here is what you do: Steep yourself in the grace of God. Saturate your day in His love. Marinate your mind in His …

Many Christians ask me, “Am I sinning if I’m not happy as a Christian?” In answering this question, I’m assuming two things of readers: Happiness and joy are synonyms, and …

Dear Roger,   Greetings in Jesus name.   Let me be sincere with you, things are NOT well with us. Due to the challenges we have undergone last year in …

Compared to joy, happiness has gotten a bad reputation. Particularly among Christians.  In the recent past (30-40 years) we have been taught that there is a significant difference between joy …

The day had arrived. It was beyond sad. It was solemn, and it was heavy. Without hesitation we were there to support, to console, and to be present. In what …

“My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants.” Mark 3:35 “Give me a word picture to describe a relative in your life who really …

How many times have you doubted God’s goodness? Max Lucado teaches on how to trust God and be content: “The widest river in the world is not the Mississippi, Amazon, …

Christmas is not always a time of joy. Randy Alcorn shows us five ways to rejoice this holy season. He writes: “Family tensions (whose house do we go to when?), …

Joy Hlavka Forney grew up in our church. She is a missionary to Uganda and teaches powerfully on how to live victoriously in the midst of difficult circumstances. Here are Joy’s …

Dear Roger, How do I learn to be content? I am never happy. I always want more. I feel like drowning, overwhelmed with my family problems and my health. I …

Paul letter to the Philippian Church contains Paul’s keys to contentment. It is not born in you. It’s a decision you make. This is the man who preached to the …

Why would a Christian need a bucket list? We have all of eternity for joy, excitement and adventure. He writes,   “I often cringe when I hear Christians talk about the …

Focus on being ungrateful. Compare what you have to people who have more. Pursue temporary possessions over eternal treasures. Develop and attitude of entitlement. Preached at LifeChurch.tv/open. Used by permission.

We should each be able to go to bed every night and reflect back on the day and know that we took at least one action to move us a …

I think joy in eternity will be the same sort of thing we know as joy and happiness and delight right now. But it will be purified and absolute in …

Rejoice. Refuse to resent. Recognize God’s Hand at work. Appreciate all seasons of life. Don’t confuse the supply with the Source. Recognize. Release. Receive. Remain. Preached at Elevation Church. Used …

Circumstances. You face them every day, you are always reacting to them–positively or negatively. Think about it. What situations in your life do you wish would change right now? A different …

In the most severe trial their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and …

A journey through grief is complex and confusing.  One way to gauge how well you are dealing with the loss, your grief and your grief emotions is to take an …

I just heard a bad sermon today (visiting friends, of course). I tried not to sleep through it. Forty-five minutes of meticulous theology rapidly delivered in a soft monotone. Zzzzzz….. …

A bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. They are typically out-of-the-ordinary experiences, not mundane, predictable ones. For instance, you wouldn’t include maintain …

God has the power to fix the world, and He does care about the suffering. He is working out an eternal plan to redeem and restore it all. Genesis describes …

We live on hope, not memory. When we focus on our hopes for the future, not the memories of our past, we realize what it means to truly experience joy …

The very quality of your life, whether you love it or hate it, is based upon how thankful you are toward God. It is one’s attitude that determines whether life …