InsightForLivingCanada

Why it's so Hard to Go to Church

Robyn Roste

There is nothing worse than having to get up and go to church on your only day off.

It was tough in high school, when I worked the 5 a.m. Saturday shift at McDonald's and had to figure skate at 5:30 a.m. on weekdays. It is difficult now because I joined a ball team whose games are on Saturday and I work the old 9-5 during the week. But nothing was as arduous as finding motivation to get up for church when I was in University.

Brent Thompson writes about this struggle...

How to Choose a Church

Robyn Roste

In my early 20s I spent time going to school, moving around, and trying new things. Yet despite all the change I continually found myself making a familiar decision: Finding a church to attend.

Since I didn't just move cities but countries, I quickly learned no two churches were the same. And sometimes they weren't even similar. Since I couldn't figure out an easy way to choose a church to attend my selection process generally defaulted to either attending with a friend, or...

The Impact of One

Robyn Roste

A few weeks ago there was a provincial vote in Alberta and even though I don't live there I was affected by something a friend of mine posted on Facebook.

Today is election day here in Alberta and I know that many people feel their vote doesn't matter so they aren't planning to vote but think about this: globally thousands of people are literally dying for this right we so easily take for granted. In fact women in Saudi Arabia will not enjoy the right to vote until 2015. So...

A Gift from The King

Annalisa Brooks

I remember when I first heard the term “spiritual gifts” in a sermon. The pastor described them as the ways in which we serve God using our talents and abilities. And I thought, what is my spiritual gift?

My parents signed me up for piano lessons when I was six. And I continued to play into my teenage years, taking Royal Conservatory exams and practicing long hours. When I was asked to join a worship team at my church, I accepted, not fully understanding...

Taking Singleness Seriously

Robyn Roste

For the past couple months Chuck Swindoll's series on marriage, Strike the Original Match, has been on the air. While I've enjoyed the teaching in this area one concept caught my attention in particular—marriage distracts us from our devotion to the Lord.1

Honestly, I've never thought about marriage like this before. But I think it's accurate...

Celibacy and Other Spiritual Gifts

Robyn Roste

In Hollywood, celibacy has been trendy ever since teen mom Bristol Palin announced to the world she would not have sex again until she was married.

And, actually, there are many celebrities practicing celibacy and preaching abstinence—for both religious and non-religious reasons. For the most part, we can connect with their stories. Some have had bad experiences, some find it empowering, and some do it as a sign of their faith and dedication to God. But what if someone...