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Culturally, there is nothing virtuous about waiting, and yet throughout Scripture we are called to wait on the Lord and to be still and know that I am Lord. There is the fundamental assumption (particularly in the marketplace) that no good can come from waiting—it is not progress, it is not advancing the cause, it is not success. The questions then become how do I grow my appreciation for this Biblical mandate, what does that look like, how do I more fully cultivate it in my own soul.

For me, Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, the totality of the Gospel, joy, fun, and moments of reflection. This message does not change year to year, but how these ideas get communicated does. The most important concept for me always is the idea that while Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth, its significance lies in the life of Christ, His death on the cross, and the atonement made for my sins through His resurrection.

Many families are experiencing a lot of stress regarding their ability to care for family members, especially after the birth of a child or older family members who need a lot of medical care and attention. Our research is not directed at mothers in particular, but we do show how women experience the stresses between work and family.

This is the time of year that should be full of excitement and celebration. Sadly, for many of us the dread of spending extended time with family has already begun to settle into our bones. With the crushing weight of stress that many of us shoulder daily, the added strain of navigating family dynamics can be a tipping point, with a  result that is never pretty.

In a working world where we are often measured by what we produce or in meeting our quotas, it is all too easy to protect our turf and fail to grasp the larger picture. We can easily forget the “abide in faith” part, not realizing that as we work, it is not ultimately about us, but about advancing God’s Kingdom on earth.

In the cattle show world there is a class called “Get of Sire.” This is a class where multiple offspring (usually 4) of one bull are judged against other groupings of offspring from other bulls and the standard is all about the idea of production. Is the gene pool strong enough from one bull to produce not just one outstanding calf, but to do it repeatedly? The idea is that outstanding breeding begets outstanding offspring.

This is not only how bovine genetics work, but it is also true for most things, whether it is sin begetting more sin or virtue producing more virtue. The question is, what are we begetting?

In this world of never enough, our culture pushes us to create whatever façade makes you look better, sound better, feel better because obviously your current life is not the most attractive.

Bach lived in Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century, yet in his day, he was virtually unknown as a composer, and those who knew of his work hated it. He was an accomplished organist, yet the genius of his work as a composer would not be discovered until 80 years after his death. This humble man, who would become the baroque era’s greatest organist and composer, wrote most of his music never knowing if it would ever be played by anyone other than himself.

We inhabit different universes. We have no shared standards of conduct, especially sexual conduct. Our elites jettisoned all the old rules a long time ago, and we have to limp along on the thin reed of consent. There were odd twists in the latest spectacle. Some traditionalists excuse Kavanaugh for youthful indiscretions; for sexual progressives, his opposition to Roe is evidence he’s a creepy serial rapist. Our rudderless sexual ethics make no sense: The same people who defend pornographers and sex workers are in high dudgeon whenever someone acts out a pornographic fantasy.

Measurement of ministry effectiveness by way of clear, stated, and calculated metrics should have guided most church systems, but rarely have. Rather, fannies in seats and coins in offering plates have traditionally been the only indicators of church health.