By Javan Rowe When Jesus was asked which of the commandments was most important, he summarized by stating we should love God first and others second. All of the commandments fit underneath one of these two umbrellas, including the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). God set the […]
Hope in Death
By Javan Rowe I found myself at another funeral, one more death in a relatively short span of time. This one left friends and family desperate, confused, and mournful. It was hard enough to deal with the deaths of my grandparents, but the death by suicide of a middle-aged Christian husband and father—how do […]
The Constancy of Love
By Javan Rowe Most of us fluctuate between highs and lows in life, with countless intricate layers in between. One minute our children bring us joy; the next we respond to them in anger and frustration. Our kids may know our love for them is unchanging, regardless of their behavior, but can we say […]
Giving Thanks in a Whale of Trouble
By Javan Rowe Is it possible to have a thankful spirit when facing our worst, most frightening situations? When life’s hardships wear us down and block our forward progress, can we still be grateful? There was a time I found thankfulness toward God difficult because I felt let down. I graduated from college with […]