“Spend yourself.” That was it. I got up and looked up the phrase in my concordance. Isaiah 58:10 says, “Spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed”

Though we pleaded with her not to leave, she went back to him and back to her old life. It was heartbreaking to see her make that choice, but in the end we just had to commit her destiny to the Lord and trust that her story was not over, even if our part in it was.

The years of carrying disappointment had shut down a childlike heart in me, but God graciously restored that childlikeness—with a new resilience and depth. In the process, I discovered a paradox of spiritual maturity—we get younger as we get older. The more we possess the voracious curiosity of sons and daughters who embrace lessons in both success

And perhaps the greatest cost is seen in the realm of relationships. Simply put, people who do not know how to sacrifice do not know how to love. They will never know the depths of human fellowship the way those veterans in that VA clinic’s waiting room know it. In the words of Christ, only he who lays his life down for his friends knows such great

demonstrates that true passion requires us to choose one goal above all others. Passion may have many manifestations, but it must maintain a narrow focus to capture its divine purpose. When conflict arises between our desires, we must prioritize our passions or we will find ourselves paralyzed by indecision. Thankfully, as Judy’s story shows, God’s

Do not get me wrong—I do not flippantly wander into dangerous situations or war zones just for kicks. I just know that when God speaks to me, He is going to fulfill His word. Everything about God is supernatural, so walking with Him inevitably launches us into a supernatural lifestyle. And I know that if I go where He sends me, it is always going t

But love suffers long, and Jesus draws near to the brokenhearted.

After Jesus Himself, you can have no greater treasure than friends who will take a bullet for you and who are willingly to pour out any amount of time, resources, strength and affection for you. I would not be who I am and where I am today without these friendships.

These radical lovers of God live with their hearts set on the prize of knowing Jesus and joining Him in His divine exploits of supernatural courage, power and extravagant love. Because they live for an audience of One, the vast majority of their exploits are not played out on a stage, recorded on video or written in a book. These saints would never