The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.

I believe the Bible tells a story we recognize as true. I don't just mean it tells an accurate story - though it's telling that the Bible stands tall even after more than 2,000 years of secular criticism.

I didn't want to just write stories that were entertaining. Nor did I want to be so scholarly that people couldn't digest it.

It's important to preach like there's a broken heart on every pew. That's always been a phrase that stuck with me. Not everybody is having a tough time, but you can bet your buck that there's a good tenth of your church that's going through a hard season. There really is a broken heart on every pew.

Which would you prefer? To be king of the mountain for a day? Or to be a child of God for eternity?

Regardless of the circumstances that surrounded your arrival, you are not an accident. God planned you before you were born.

Jesus isn't a God who stayed on the mountaintop - he's a Savior who came down and lived and worked with the people.