Don't Leave It Unfinished— Two2Grow, Sunday, July 12 “Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.’” Colossians 4:17 NIVI played soccer as a kid. Our team wasn’t that great, and I remember our coach often encouraging us to keep at it, even when we were down by several goals. I don’t remember whether the coach ever used the common phrase, “It’s not how yo...  Read More

The Lost Art of Hospitality—Two2Grow, Saturday, July 11 “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 NIVAs Emelie and I have served the Lord in churches in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, we have come to see that we can learn different things from different cultures. When pastoring a church made u...  Read More

Stay in the Fight — Two2Grow, Friday, July 10 “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.” — 2 Samuel 11:1 NIVHave you ever felt like just tapping out of the fight? It's easy to get tired and worn down by the spiritual battle we're in. T...  Read More

You Have Someone — Two2Grow, Thursday, July 9 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.” John 5:7a (NIV)Have you ever been in a place where you felt that nobody understood and nobody could help? Life can bring us to places where we identify with the invalid man who said, "I have no one to help me."People often disappoint us. Sometimes they have ...  Read More

Going Deeper— Two2Grow, July 8 “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.”— 2 Timothy 4:13 NIVI never liked studying. I even managed to graduate from high school without reading a single book from cover to cover. But that all changed when I realized that studying God's Word is one of the primary ways we come to know God more deeply....  Read More

Don't Bury Your Gift—Two2Grow, July 7 "So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground." Matthew 25:25a NIVI was a mama's boy and never liked being away from my family. One summer during middle school, I went to a Boy Scout camp. After just a couple of days, I got one of the leaders to drive me back home because I was so homesick. So when I sensed as a teenager that God was calling me...  Read More

Say “No” with a Smile—Two2Grow, July 6 "I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’” Genesis 14:23 NLTIn Bible college, I had a teacher who asked the whole class to look at the person next to them, smile, and say, "No." He said one of the most important skills a leader can learn is how to say no w...  Read More

No Matter the Cost—Two2Grow, July 5 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:41-42 NIV A post by Josephine StenhammarFollowing Jesus means suffering will come.God is fill...  Read More

America Healed—Two2Grow, July 4 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)I will never forget the first time I came to America. I was 19 years old and about to start Bible college. My life was changed—not on...  Read More

Never Forgotten—Two2Grow, July 3 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49:15 NIVI remember very vividly coming out of soccer practice in middle school and realizing that the van I had come with was no longer in the parking lot. My friend’s father, who had taken a group of us to practice, ...  Read More

Mind-blowing Generosity — Two2Grow, July 2 “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32 NIVThe first paycheck I ever received was for packing orders in a shoe warehouse during evenings and weekends while I was in high school. It was hard work. I remember when my first paycheck came in the mail, I cou...  Read More

The Antidote to Fear — Two2Grow, July 1 "Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me." John 14:1 NLTFear is a bully—it wants to set the limits for our lives and decide what we can and cannot do.Fear is an enemy. If we give in to fear, we will never fulfill God’s assignment for our lives.We tend to speak our fears and make choices based on what we are afraid could happen.B...  Read More