December 24, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
The Savior has come
In lieu of my own words this Christmas Eve, let us instead listen to Luke’s account of the entrance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into our world....Keep Reading
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The NewLife Blog
December 18, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
It is well with my soul
If you have ever listened to K-Love, you know that they have an occasional segment called “Behind the Music” where a singer shares the story of where their song comes from. I often find that I develop is a greater emotional connection to the song when I know the heart behind the words. The same holds true for the classic hymns of the church. One of the most powerful “Behind the Music” stories is the story behind “It is Well with my Soul,” which was written by Horatio Spafford in the 1880’s, which I reference this past Sunday during our worship time....Keep Reading
December 10, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Making sense of suffering
As a preacher, I often quote from C.S. Lewis, because, well, that’s what evangelical preachers do. I must confess, however, that as quotable as he is, I have only actually finished two of his books, because I find his style difficult to read. One of those books is Mere Christianity, a classic and one of the first books I ever read as a Christian. The second is called A Grief Observed, and contains his journals and reflections after losing his wife, Joy Davidman, to cancer....Keep Reading
December 3, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Longing for the "good old days" of slavery
It must have been an annoying and arduous journey for the Israelites as they trudged through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. It was hot, there were way too many people around, and there was no comfortable place to lay down and sleep. And did I mention the food? Manna for breakfast, manna for lunch, and ...Keep Reading
November 26, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Are you confused? Or just afraid to follow Jesus?
What price would you be willing to pay to experience more of the love, joy, peace, and fullness of God in your life? Honestly, that question frightens me. Even though I know in my head that God is good, that He is the pearl of great price that is worth selling everything for, I still have a great deal of fear when it comes to following Him. Specifically, I am afraid to give things up, afraid that it will not be worth the sacrifice. I think that many of us struggle with our faith, wondering where God is and what He wants of us. What if the answer is really simple, but our issue is not really a lack of understanding but rather a lack of willingness to do what He wants us to do? For example:...Keep Reading
November 20, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Answering the "so what?" question in preaching
I was in a conversation with someone recently who asked me what the hardest part of preaching is. There are many things that are challenging about it ...Keep Reading
November 12, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Are you still fishing for men?
You may have heard the expression, “once you see this, you can’t un-see it” in reference to some particularly disturbing picture. I find this quote from Francis Chan to be like that: once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it....Keep Reading
November 6, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
The coming home of Kanye West
The news spread like wildfire through the little village. The prodigal son had returned. Months after disrespecting his father, his village, and his God, here he was, walking back towards his home, gaunt and disheveled in his appearance. And oh did the townspeople scoff and sneer: “He’s only home because he’s hungry. If he still had money, no way he would have come back.”...Keep Reading
October 29, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
The world doesn't revolve around you
I still remember where I was the day I realized that the world did not revolve around me. I was in Washington D.C., 21 years old, sitting in the top section of RFK Stadium at a Promise Keepers conference. All around me, thousands of men from all over the country stood, many with their arms raised to the sky, worshiping their God. As the swell of their voices echoed around the stadium, a sweet sound in our Lord’s ears, I suddenly realized that I was not the center of the universe. I was just one among many who had gathered that day to worship God and to commit our lives to His service....Keep Reading
October 22, 2019 by Eric Stillman 0 comments
Costly love
I was 21 years old and spending a lot of time in ministry to teenagers when the movie Titanic was at the height of its popularity. I distinctly remember the swooning sounds of many a teenage girl over Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as he won Rose’s (Kate Winslet’s) heart and then (spoiler alert) gave up his life to save hers by choosing to remain in the frozen water while she floated safely on the piece of debris from the ship....Keep Reading