Multiple-part articles and images in one place Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:33:18 -0500 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/reminders-for-when-being-a-stay-at-home-mom-feels-insignificant.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/reminders-for-when-being-a-stay-at-home-mom-feels-insignificant.html Ashleigh Slater https://www.crosswalk.com/author/ashleigh-slater/ When the woman in 7B asked about my travel plans, I didn’t expect the tears to come so quickly. But they did. “I’m flying home to Arizona after visiting my two young adult daughters at their college internship program,” I managed to respond.As our plane took off from Orlando, the sadness of saying goodbye to my girls suddenly mingled with newfound joy at who my daughters had become and with the satisfaction that I had played a part in it. And it hit me in a new, overwhelming way: all those years as a stay-at-home mom to them were worth it.Maybe you’re currently a full-time mom with a baby, young kid, tween, or a combination of those ages. My “it’s all worth it” moment may make sense to me now, as a mom of kids in their twenties, plus two teens at home (who do still demand much of my energy and time, just in different ways from when they were little). But what about moms like you who are still in the middle of the younger years—diaper changes, potty training, never-ending kitchen and toy cleanup, school pickups, or hands-on homeschooling?If I could make a Marty McFly visit to my younger stay-at-home-mom self, I don’t think hearing “it was all worth it” would have helped when I felt insignificant, or as Dictionary.com defines it, “of no consequence, influence, or distinction.” I didn’t want to hear that my time at home would pay off years later. I wanted to know why I mattered right now.So, if that’s you and you’re in the middle of it right now, here are three reminders for when being a stay-at-home mom feels insignificant.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Fly View Productions Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:34:09 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/reasons-why-jesus-wept-is-one-of-the-bibles-most-comforting-verses.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/reasons-why-jesus-wept-is-one-of-the-bibles-most-comforting-verses.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ John 11:35 – “Jesus wept” – is the shortest verse in the entire Bible. Because it’s brief, you may quickly move past it to get what comes soon after it, when Jesus performs the miracle of resurrecting his friend Lazarus from the dead. But if you take time to consider these two words, you can discover that they’re one of the Bible’s most comforting verses. They can completely change your perspective on who God is. The words “Jesus wept” show you that God knows the pain of living in this fallen world and that he cares very much about human suffering here. This short Bible verse highlights how God is close to you whenever you’re suffering. God sees what you’re going through, he understands how painful it feels, he cares, and he wants to help you.Here are five reasons why “Jesus wept” is one of the Bible’s most comforting verses. Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Motortion  Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:30:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/reasons-why-we-still-need-the-church.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/reasons-why-we-still-need-the-church.html Cindi McMenamin https://www.crosswalk.com/author/cindi-mcmenamin/ Have you grown comfortable watching Sunday morning services online from your couch in your pajamas? And has it made you less likely to drive across town to be with others in the body of Christ? Perhaps the typical church programming on Sunday mornings, which might cater to making unbelievers feel safe and welcome, doesn’t meet your needs spiritually or challenge you to grow, and therefore, you are “getting church” on your own through podcasts, books, or articles, and the occasional meetup with another believer. Despite talk in some evangelical circles that “the Sunday morning church service is no longer relevant,” Barna Research has found that more Americans are returning to church, and men are attending at higher rates than at any point in the last 25 years. The increase in church attendance by Generation Z (those born from 1999-2015) and the gender gap shift in which married men with children are returning to the church in droves, outpacing the attendance of moms and women in general, leaves the question: Why are some believers thinking the church is no longer relevant today? The church consists of you and me—believers whom Jesus died to save—, and there’s a reason Christ’s apostles established the first-century church as a gathering place for followers of Jesus to devote themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). Despite our post-COVID conveniences of online church and the abundance of material all around us to help us grow spiritually, here are seven reasons why you and I still need the church today:Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Wirestock  Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-to-do-when-the-verse-of-the-day-doesnt-speak-to-your-heart.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-to-do-when-the-verse-of-the-day-doesnt-speak-to-your-heart.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ Sometimes when you open your Bible app, check your email, or read one of your favorite daily devotionals online, the “verse of the day” is something you can apply to your life right away. It relates to something that’s happening in your life right now, and it speaks to your heart with the inspiration you need. But what about days when the verse that comes up doesn’t speak to your heart? There are days when the verse of the day you read doesn’t really connect with you. You may feel like your faith is weak if God’s word doesn’t instantly inspire you. After all, Hebrews 4:12 points out that: “…the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Since God’s word is alive and active, shouldn’t every single verse inspire you? The good news is that your faith isn’t failing. You’re just having a normal human experience in your walk with God. The Bible is a large and complex book. Sometimes, a single verse taken out of its context just doesn’t seem inspiring at first. Instead of just forgetting about daily Bible verses that don’t speak to your heart right away, what if you saw them as invitations from God to seek him more on those days? Here are 5 actions you can take when the verse of the day doesn’t speak to your heart.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/andreswd  Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/ways-to-train-your-church-to-love-their-neighbor-in-divided-times.html https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/ways-to-train-your-church-to-love-their-neighbor-in-divided-times.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ In this fallen world that’s full of divisions between people, Jesus’ call to love your neighbor as yourself is vital to answer. People are searching for hope and healing in these divided times. Your church can show people what a compassionate community looks like by teaching them to bridge divides with God’s love. Training your congregation to genuinely love their neighbors – even those they disagree with – is essential to answer Jesus’ call.In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus responds to a man’s question about which is the greatest of God’s commandments: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Jesus is pointing out that what matters most to God is love, and that includes loving your neighbor.So, show your church members what God’s love really looks like in action. Here are 7 ways your church can train the people in your congregation to love their neighbor in these divided times.Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Freedom007  Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/fresh-ways-to-walk-into-a-new-year-with-jesus.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/fresh-ways-to-walk-into-a-new-year-with-jesus.html Cindi McMenamin https://www.crosswalk.com/author/cindi-mcmenamin/ What could be worse than staying in the same place year after year in your spiritual life and never growing closer in your relationship with Jesus? I suppose digressing in your spiritual life is even worse than staying stagnant or complacent. In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus said to the church at Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (NIV). Jesus was saying He would rather have His church (that’s you and me) be hot (in our passion for Him) or cold (not acknowledging Him at all), than lukewarm or stagnant in our relationship with Him. Stale or complacent Christianity is not what God intended for His followers, whom He referred to as the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Do you need to re-ignite your light for Him in this new year? Would you like to stoke the fires of your love for Him so they burn stronger? Then get out of the stagnant box of a religious routine and try some fresh ways to put yourself in a position where you can walk closer to Him over the next 12 months. Whether you refer to it as setting spiritual goals, aiming to grow another year spiritually, or wanting to be closer to the Lord in 2026, here are six fresh ways to walk into a new year with Jesus.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Kara Gebhardt Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/finances/financial-goals-to-make-for-the-new-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/finances/financial-goals-to-make-for-the-new-year.html Clarence L. Haynes Jr. https://www.crosswalk.com/author/clarence-l-haynes-jr/ The plans of the diligent lead to profitas surely as haste leads to poverty. - Proverbs 21:5The end of one year and the beginning of another is the perfect time to consider your financial situation. When people think about their finances, they usually fall into three categories. Those who are content with where they are, those who are terrified of where they are, and those who have no idea where they are. One thing is clear. If you don’t know where you are, then you will never know if you are on track to achieve anything. That’s why hope is not a financial strategy.For this year, it is time to take more ownership and understand your financial situation. Specifically, you need to identify where you want to go and then determine where you are. These two simple steps are crucial if you want to achieve any of your financial goals in the new year. Beyond that, here is a list of some goals to consider for this new year to put you on the right track to achieving and changing your financial situation.Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Apichat Noipang  Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/things-not-to-do-in-your-marriage-next-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/things-not-to-do-in-your-marriage-next-year.html Clarence L. Haynes Jr. https://www.crosswalk.com/author/clarence-l-haynes-jr/ To all my married people out there, congratulations! You made it through another year. Chances are this year came with its share of highs and lows, as every year does. But if you’re still standing together and choosing each other, you’ve already overcome a lot. Hopefully, you picked up some valuable lessons along the way and identified a few patterns or habits you don’t want to carry forward.In the spirit of building a long-lasting, joyful, and healthy marriage, I want to share nine things you should leave in the past year and not bring into the new one.Photo Credit: Pexels/luizclas Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:30:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/the-bibles-best-wisdom-for-setting-goals-that-actually-glorify-god.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/the-bibles-best-wisdom-for-setting-goals-that-actually-glorify-god.html Whitney Hopler https://www.crosswalk.com/author/whitney-hopler/ Setting goals seems, on the surface, like it’s a simple process. But it involves more than just writing down your dreams in a planner and getting to work. That’s because it’s important to line your goals up with God’s purposes for your life. When you set goals, you’re deciding how you’ll spend the most valuable resource God has given you: your time.If you set goals without consulting God, you risk building a life that looks successful to the world but doesn’t actually help you fulfill God’s purposes for you. The good news is that the Bible is overflowing with wisdom on how to line up your goals with God’s kingdom. Here’s the Bible’s best wisdom for setting goals that actually glorify God.Photo Credit: Unsplash/lilartsy  Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:45:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/5-ways-to-handle-christmas-disagreements-in-your-marriage-with-grace.html https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/5-ways-to-handle-christmas-disagreements-in-your-marriage-with-grace.html Jennifer Waddle https://www.crosswalk.com/author/jennifer-waddle/ My husband and I have officially gone "minimal" with our Christmas decor, and it wasn't easy. For years, I filled every available spot with nativities, Christmas villages, snow globes, and even holiday towels in the bathroom. My husband would silently pull out ALL the boxes, waiting patiently for me to empty them before putting them back in the space above the garage. Every so often, he would suggest we minimize things, but I would ignore him, adding to the clutter during after-Christmas sales.Then one year, when we planned to travel to my daughter's wedding at Christmas, I suggested only putting up the tree and leaving the rest in storage. I still remember the shocked and overjoyed look on my husband's face! Since then, we've simplified more than I ever thought possible, and honestly, I like this arrangement too.Disagreements at Christmas are bound to happen, but they are best handled with grace. If you'd like to cultivate more understanding in your marriage, here are five ways to handle Christmas disagreements this year.Photo credit: ©GettyImages/zamrznutitonovi Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:30:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:33:18-05:00