Donna Avant

Love was what shocked the ancient Roman world so much that they paid attention to the new movement of Jesus followers. Christians loved one another like nothing the Romans had ever experienced. Sadly it appears that in American Christianity today, we are known more by our anger and our arguments. In recent years I have become increasingly stunned by the way we treat each other. Much of it these days is online which keeps us from ever needing to sit with a brother or sister, and look in their...

At 65, I have experienced many forms of pain—divorced parents, rejection, betrayal, loneliness, and grief—but rarely intense physical pain, until the last few weeks after receiving a total knee replacement. When faced with pain—physical or emotional—my first instinct is always to make it stop, to regain control. Yet, these last few weeks have taught me that the Lord intends for me to learn from pain, not just manage it. Here are some truths I have been reminded of these last few weeks: When...

As we remember those who laid down their lives for our freedom, Donna and I thought it might encourage you to see a short excerpt from our upcoming book, Common Valor. We best honor the valor of those who laid down their lives for us by living lives of valor ourselves. Happy Memorial Day everyone VALOR IS A DECISION Everyone who ever won a medal for valor made a decision. Nobody receives a medal for how they felt or what they were thinking about. On June 28, 2005, in Afghanistan, Lt. Michael...