The Forward Day by Day Archives

This passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians says that we must strive to excel in our gifts in order to build up the church. All of us have been given spiritual gifts. Growing up in evangelical churches, I saw many members participating actively in worship services: people dancing, run....

How often do we hear or read that love is blind? Paul’s letter to the Corinthians confirms that love is not blind—love sees everything and loves anyway.

I heard a speaker say that we should insert our name where this passage uses the word “love.” Sa....

As a digital evangelist, I am often asked how to share the good news of Jesus on social media. I encourage people to share what God has done for them through a picture, a video, or a story. This surprises a lot of people—many of us think sharing daily moments of gratitude is not evangelism.

If I speak Spanish and visit other Spanish-speaking countries but don’t have love, I am a noisy maraca. When we love, things are different. I am not talking about that rose-colored-lenses feeling but rather that every day, honest, messy, and often challenging way of love.

I recently posted a question on social media about the need for vergers. Responses to my post reminded me that while I may not understand this liturgical role, others do.

Similarly, when some people question why Spanish/bilingual/Latino/Hispanic ministry is....

I was born with a 5 percent chance of survival. Because they could not afford medical care, my parents took me home to die. My dad was working on a thesis about miraculous healing and a verse from James (5:14) came to his heart.

My family and a neighbor ano....

When I was a schoolteacher, I asked my students to follow me. Within the first week, my students knew they were to walk in a single file line and be silent.

I sometimes walked next to them or behind them or talked with another teacher while they waited for ....

Not long ago, I heard and saw a little girl calling her mom because she was losing her balance. Mom never looked up, and the little girl fell.

When I see a child crying and calling for the help of a parent, I usually try to intervene in a meaningful way. I ....

What would my life be like if I truly did everything for the glory of God?

How would I treat my family? How would I do my work? Would I practice my music more? Would I procrastinate? How would I treat my body? How would I act at church? Would I sit in the s....

I am a very happy person—I can find something to smile about in any situation. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 37:4: “Take delight in the Lord.” This phrase reminds me of the joy I feel every time I see my son and the delight I feel when I hear him making music.

When my son was little, he was afraid of the dark—but he was even more afraid of rumbling and flashing thunderstorms. Ellis would come to my room or ask me to come into his during stormy nights.

I never got upset with Ellis for being afraid and seeking sh....

I often wish I had lived in Jesus’ time and could have witnessed his power. But the Holy Spirit reminds me: This is Jesus’ time. You can and do witness his power today, here and now.

My dad had a stroke in August 2018. As I am writing this, he ....

I was in New York in August 2017 when I heard that Harvey was going to hit my hometown of Houston as a category 4 hurricane. I caught one of the last flights to Houston so I could be with my family.

The rain fell, the floods came, winds blew and beat on Hou....

I recently bought some oranges that were just beautiful—plump and round and very orange. I couldn’t wait to get home to enjoy them. I sat down to eat one, really wanting to savor it. While I was peeling this orange, I realized it didn’t smell sweet. When I put it in my mouth, there was no burs....

Ask. Search. Knock. There have been several times in my life when I have been in need—a job, a recommendation letter, a place to stay, a meal, a kind word. When the need is dire, I gather myself and pray.

I remember when I needed a job desperately. My son w....

Being a Christian is a bit like being grounded at an airport during a storm: We never know when we’re leaving. Countless believers have been motivated by a sense that Jesus’ return is imminent, and yet here we still are two millennia later. We have a very different sense of urgency about the tim....

Having enough money to cover bills and living expenses offers options and space to think about the needs of others. Too little money causes constant, wearing anxiety about how to meet basic needs like shelter and food, leaving little room for any other concerns.

Scripture isn’t super clear or consistent about what lies on the other side of death, though Jesus explicitly promises both resurrection and judgment. I like to think that after we die and await resurrection, we reside in some manner in God’s memory. In this way, I imagine we abide in God’s ca....

Milk comes from mothers, honey comes from bees, and manna comes from heaven. But surely bread is the result of our own labor: the mixing, the kneading, the proving, the fire that needs to be built, wood or charcoal collected. And yet, Jesus reminds us in the prayer he teaches the disciples to pray t....

You can hear the fear and anger of the psalmist in these lines as they call upon God to wipe out the enemies of Israel. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, and yet who among us hasn’t wished for our enemies to have their comeuppance?

Petty vengeance is ....