Paying Ridiculous Attention To Jesus

Harry Potter, yoga, meditation, and Dungeons and Dragons—for some Christ-followers, these are fun, entertaining, and healthy activities. Others firmly believe they're a gateway to evil. Which view is correct? Join Rick and Steph as they explore what it means to "open yourself to dark influences." Using Paul's advice to the Corinthian church as a guide, let’s discuss why activities are acceptable to some Christians, but not for others. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering by Rick Lawrence    https://www.amazon

Contemporary Christian music is positive, uplifting, and full of songs talking about prayer and purpose. It’s populated by music referencing joy, peace, and God, so there couldn’t possibly be a negative consequence to listening to it…right? Join Rick and Steph as they discuss reinventing the basics of our faith. They’ll start by talking about how the music we listen to, including contemporary Christian music, can positively or negatively impact our relationship with Jesus. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/       The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your

We live in an age where the line between the truth and lies has been blurred with the rise of “fake news.” Whether in the church or our personal lives, it can be hard to discern the truth. During these challenges, what would it look like to lean into Jesus, the source of all truth? Join Rick for a series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into the Gospel of Matthew, we will look at how Jesus not only speaks the truth but is The Truth. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.      Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/      Related Resources:      The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/       The God Who

The world is currently facing an epidemic with anxiety, depression, and suicide. While the most recent generations are the most affluent ever, something is still missing. What would it look like to turn our attention toward Jesus for the answer? Join Rick and his daughter Lucy for a series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into the Gospel of Matthew, we will look at how Jesus answers this universal question and the unexpected answer he gives. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.     Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/     Related Resources:     The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/      The God Wh

In our physical lives, there can be a tendency to base our happiness and freedom on the materialism in front of us. But what if there is something more permanent, beyond this world and everything in it, that we can experience by investing in a relationship with Jesus and the kingdom of heaven?   Join Rick for a series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into the Gospel of Matthew, we will look at how Jesus treats our “life after life.” Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.    Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/    Related Resources:    The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/     The God Who Fights f

People can spend their whole lives searching for meaning in their lives. Although we all have different answers to what matters to us, what would it look like to look to Jesus to help us feel truly alive? Join Rick and Becky for a series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into the Gospel of Matthew, we will look at how Jesus framed the meaning of life to those he encountered. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.   Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/   Related Resources:   The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/    The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering by Rick Lawrence htt

Whenever bad things happen, we can’t help but wonder, why? Though it can be difficult to look beyond the why, what would it look like to focus on the lessons Jesus reveals to us during these times? Join Rick for a new series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them.  Diving into Luke 22:31-32, we will take a tour through Rick’s upcoming release "The God Who Fights for You" as we dig into this essential question. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.  Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/    Related Resources:  The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/   The God Who Fights for You: How He Shows Up in Your Suffering

Wondering whether God is real is a question many are tempted to answer with evidence or scientific proof. Instead of focusing on this approach, what would it look like to focus on our relationship with God as “proof” of his presence?  Join Rick and Becky for a new series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into Matthew 6 and Luke 7, we’ll examine how Jesus reveals God’s existence.   Have you joined the Pigs?   We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.  Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/  Related Resources:  The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ The Jesus-Centered Journal: https://www.mylifetree.com/?s=jesus-centered+journal&

Life can often feel like a huge mystery filled with many questions, with one of the biggest being “What’s my purpose?” Instead of just relying on ourselves to figure it all out, what would it look like to invite Jesus in to help solve that mystery with us? Join Rick for a new series exploring the essential questions everyone has and the ways Jesus can answer them. Diving into Matthew and John, we’ll examine encounters where Jesus revealed the purpose of life. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/  The Jesus-Centered Journal: https://www.mylifetree.com/?s=je

Anger is a fundamental emotion, but we generally believe “good Christians” shouldn’t be angry. Yet, the truth is, Jesus got angry…often. What would it look like to start incorporating Jesus-centered anger into our lives? And what exactly does that mean? Join Rick and Becky for our last episode in a series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can manage our anger. By looking at examples in the Gospel of Matthew, we’ll explore how and why Jesus expressed anger. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ The Jesus-Centered Journal: https://www.

Solitude. While there are some who love it, there are many who fear it. When looking at our relationship with Jesus, what would it look like to start dedicating focused time with him alone? What effect could solitude have on our daily lives? Join Rick for a series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can incorporate solitude into our lives. By looking at examples in the Bible, we’ll explore Jesus’ relationship with solitude and how we can follow his lead. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: Help! How Do I Know God’s Will? https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/help-know-gods-will/ Help! How Do I Read the Bible? https://www.mylifet

Most have heard that you should love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, but what does “all your strength” really entail? When our strength inevitably fails, what does it look like to rely on Jesus and stand our ground? Join Rick for a series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can incorporate this into our lives. By looking at examples in the Bible, we’ll explore how Jesus modeled strength to us. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: Spiritual Grit: A Journey Into Endurance. Character. Confidence. Hope.  www.mylifetree.com/shop/spiritual-grit/ Growing Spiritual Grit: 52 Personal Devotions  https:

The things we love often impact and shape our identity. What would it look like if instead of asking what would Jesus do, we started asking what did Jesus love? Join Rick and Becky for a series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can incorporate this into our lives. Diving into John 2-5, we’ll explore the things Jesus loved the most when he walked the earth. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible: www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ The Jesus-Centered Journal: https://www.mylifetree.com/?s=jesus-centered+journal&post_type=product&tags=1&limit=20&ixwps=1 Spiritual Grit: A Jou

We live in a culture filled with extreme beliefs and opinions that strongly differ from our own. How do we react when we’re challenged by others? Do we retreat into our protected bubbles? What if instead we attempted to model Jesus by wading into the marketplace of ideas and opinions? Join Rick in our new series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can incorporate this into our lives. Diving into Luke 10 and 11, we’ll explore the ways Jesus lived the “thicker life” when he engaged with people holding vastly different opinions than his. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group.  Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/  Related Resources:  Spiritual Grit: A Journey Into Endurance. C

We know that Jesus is both “fully God and fully human.” So why do we often focus on only the “fully God” side? What would it look like for us to pay ridiculous attention to the human side of Jesus and better understand the life he modeled for us? Join Rick and Becky for a new series exploring the human side of Jesus and the practical ways we can incorporate this into our lives. Diving into John 1 and 2, we’ll examine the ways Jesus embraced his humanity. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible: www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ The Jesus-Centered Journal: https://www.mylifetree.com/?s=jesus-centered+jo

As followers of Jesus, we’re familiar with the Easter story and its life-altering significance. But is there a mystery embedded we often fail to recognize? After his being crucified, why was it necessary for Jesus to stay in the tomb for three days? By slowing down and paying ridiculous attention to his attitude toward the grave, how can we embrace the importance of life over death in our story? Join Rick for the last episode of a two-month adventure exploring the cycle of death to life that naturally occurs as we move through seasons. Diving into multiple accounts of Jesus’ death and burial found in the Gospels, we will explore the importance of these three days. Have you joined the Pigs? We’re a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that’s “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here: www.myl

Sacrifice. It’s a word that can easily bring about negative connotations, especially when viewed with an Old Testament frame of mind. What would it look like to shift our perspective to focus on and embrace the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross? And, in light of this sacrifice, how does it transform our daily relationship with Jesus? Join Rick and Becky as they continue a two-month adventure exploring the cycle of death to life that naturally occurs as we move through seasons. Diving into John 4 and 10, we’ll explore how sacrifice was reinvented as Jesus created a “new covenant.” Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible

The operating system for a computer determines how it works and what it’s capable of doing. If the operating system for humans is called “story,” how do we respond to the “bugs” that try to destroy us? What can we learn from Jesus when it comes to telling our stories and “debugging” our systems? Join Rick and his daughter Lucy as they continue our two-month adventure exploring the cycle of death to life that occurs as we move through seasons. Diving into Matthew 12 and John 21, we’ll explore how Jesus responded to others who tried to plant bugs in his operating system. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: Spiritual Grit: A Journey Into Endurance. C

If you’ve grown up in the church, you might have heard the phrase “die to yourself.” While this concept is something we’re expected to embrace as Christians, do we really know what it really means? Or even how to do it? Join Rick and Becky as they continue our two-month adventure exploring the cycle of death to life that occurs as we move through seasons by diving into the phrase “die to yourself.” Diving into John 4, we’ll highlight Jesus’ challenge to a Samaritan woman hiding behind a metaphorical wall of who she thought she should be. Then we’ll explore how we can manage how that tension impacts our own lives. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources:

“Why do bad things happen to good people?” It’s a common and extremely difficult-to-answer question, especially in cases of untimely or unexpected death. When this question is asked, what would it take to shift our perspectives from focusing on the loss to instead looking for the fruit God produces from tragedy? Join Rick as he continues a two-month adventure exploring the cycle of death to life that occurs as we move through seasons. This week we’ll dive into Luke 13 and examine how Jesus used the fall of the tower of Siloam to guide people to the hope of life. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all-in with Jesus—to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible www.mylifetree.com/jesu