When Scripture wants to speak about a life well-lived, it often reaches for the olive tree. Not a flash-in-the-pan crop. Not something harvested quickly and forgotten. But a tree that grows slowly, suffers storms, survives fire, and still produces fruit—sometimes for more than a thousand years.

The wonderful hymn, “I Surrender All,” is an excellent example of a song which was written as a personal commitment to the Lordship of Christ. Written by Judson Van DeVenter in 1896 during a time when he was struggling with a vocational decision, the song led him to make the decision to surrender to the Lordship of Christ.

Recently, my family purchased my childhood home, and we inherited more space, more land, and more responsibility. Our property now includes rows of perennial beds, a sprawling lawn, and a sizeable vegetable garden.

There’s a powerful scene in The Greatest Showman where P.T. Barnum secures a bank loan by using shipping manifests from vessels that had already sunk. The cargo was at the bottom of the ocean—but on paper, it looked valuable. The banker, impressed by the documentation, extends the credit.

What would you attempt for God if you weren’t afraid to lose? Most of us say we trust God, but when it comes to money—especially investing—we often live as if safety is our savior. We diversify, hedge, insure, and call it wisdom. But if we’re honest, it’s often fear.

Have you ever wondered how God can turn a simple bar of soap into a movement of hope? That’s the story of Mwana Wa Pepa, which in Swahili means “Don’t lose hope.” On the shores of Lake Victoria, a young Tanzanian named Alex began asking the kinds of questions that stir a steward’s heart: Why are some people rich while others remain trapped in poverty?

What if some of the most meaningful lessons about generosity at Christmas don’t come from the North Pole… but from a real follower of Jesus who lived more than 1,700 years ago?

Fritz Kreisler was one of the greatest violinists the world has ever known. Born in Austria in 1875, his music captivated audiences around the globe. But behind his fame lies a quiet story of redemption—a story not about applause, but about purpose restored.

The phrase “the pursuit of happiness” resonates deeply within the fabric of American values, encapsulated in the famous words of the Declaration of Independence. These words assert that happiness is a fundamental right, an idea that has been met with both support and criticism.

There is such beauty in one’s journey of following Jesus. Knowing the Master’s Voice… Listening to Him… Submitting to the invitation to follow Him has many similarities and differences for each of us. Often the journey is the road less traveled and rarely is it the highway of popularity.

“For the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth to find someone whose heart is fully devoted to Him so that He can display his great power by helping them.” Who wouldn’t want to be one on whom God’s gaze rests, who receives help from God, and who helps display God’s glory? This verse appears in 2 Chronicles and is about someone who might have received God’s help, but who foolishly chose a different way.

One of the most beloved and theologically rich Christmas carols is “O Holy Night.” The powerful lyrics of the third stanza boldly proclaim: “Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother, and in His name all oppression shall cease.” What if this isn’t just a nice thought we contemplate at Christmas time, but an invitation for us, as Christian investors and ambassadors of God’s kingdom, to actively take a stand for justice in the way we position our investment portfolios?