Spiritual Life secondary channel Copyright https://www.crosswalk.com 2026, Crosswalk.com Thu, 08 Jan 2026 03:21:22 -0500 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/10-hopeful-verses-to-uplift-those-fighting-seasonal-depression.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/10-hopeful-verses-to-uplift-those-fighting-seasonal-depression.html Ashley Hooker https://www.crosswalk.com/author/ashley-hooker/ Biblical characters like David, Job, Nehemiah, Paul, and others dealt with depression during their lifetimes. During those times when they were feeling down, they all looked to God for encouragement and guidance. Wed, 07 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/do-you-feel-like-you-lost-yourself-last-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/do-you-feel-like-you-lost-yourself-last-year.html Peyton Garland https://www.crosswalk.com/author/peyton-garland/ You didn’t lose yourself by accident; it happened piece by painful piece. What if the breaking wasn’t the end, but the beginning of becoming someone new? Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:15:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/choosing-your-word-of-the-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/choosing-your-word-of-the-year.html Amber Ginter https://www.crosswalk.com/author/amber-ginter/ Discover a fresh perspective on choosing a "word of the year" that moves beyond personal ambition to a prayerful surrender of control. Learn how aligning your heart with divine will can unlock healthier, more heavenly perspectives for the year ahead. Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:33:32 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/unlocking-the-secret-to-avoiding-spiritual-burnout.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/unlocking-the-secret-to-avoiding-spiritual-burnout.html Mike Leake https://www.crosswalk.com/author/mike-leake/ What is the secret to avoiding spiritual burnout?I must confess that my first response to this question is heavy on snark. Ready for my snarky response? One of the keys to avoiding spiritual burnout is to stop thinking there is some mystical secret to avoiding spiritual burnout. Underneath all my sass is a legitimate point, though. Much of our spiritual turmoil comes from trying to find a hack to making discipleship easy. But Eugene Peterson’s description is perhaps the best—a long obedience in the same direction.I think the best picture of living the Christian life is represented by this gif of an older dude, brief case in hand, tumbles and falls up an escalator. It’s awkward, probably a bit painful, but he still makes it to the top. That’s an apt description of following Jesus. We’re going to stumble all over ourselves on this apprenticeship with Jesus—but at the end of the day we’re being carried along. What gets us “to the top” isn’t our own efforts, those are bumbling, but rather the work of another.If we can agree on that point, then we’re ready to proceed with a few tips to avoiding spiritual burnout—or at least minimizing some of the pain of stumbling up an escalator. Before we give those tips, we should make sure we understand the nature of spiritual burnout.Photo Credit: © Getty Images/eggeeggjiew Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/happy-new-year/5-things-i-want-to-do-better-in-the-new-year.html https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/happy-new-year/5-things-i-want-to-do-better-in-the-new-year.html Clarence L. Haynes Jr. https://www.crosswalk.com/author/clarence-l-haynes-jr/ The end of each year is usually a time of reflection and evaluation. People often set new goals and objectives for what they want to accomplish in the new year. Recently I was reminded of a truth from Scripture that forced me to make sure I am focusing on doing five things in the new year. Here is the familiar verse, and then I will explain the five things.“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6, NLT).Here are five things I want to do better in the new year:Photo credit: ©Lil Artsy/Unsplash Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:53:19 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 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 10:45:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/the-top-10-headlines-of-2025.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/the-top-10-headlines-of-2025.html Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff https://www.crosswalk.com/author/compiled-and-edited-by-crosswalk-editorial-staff/ Here are the top 10 Christian headlines of 2025 that shaped faith-centered conversations, offering biblical insight into global events and personal journeys. These resonant stories provide clarity, hope, and a reminder of God's enduring presence amidst a rapidly changing world. Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:25:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 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 16:15:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 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 11:30:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00 https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/men/the-one-new-year-s-resolution-that-will-improve-your-whole-life.html https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/men/the-one-new-year-s-resolution-that-will-improve-your-whole-life.html Chris Bolinger https://www.crosswalk.com/author/chris-bolinger/ Regular Bible reading improves your health, improves your life, improves your behavior, and gets you closer to God. Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0500 2026-01-08T03:21:22-05:00