Daily Focus | The Sanctuary Old and New

Growing up as a pastor’s or elder’s daughter often means living under a microscope. Expectations are sky-high: be perfect, act holy, never mess up. But girlhood is already complicated without the pressure of being a “role model by default.” The real question is: how do girls carve out their own…

God never designed us to carry emotional burdens alone. Yet, loneliness and isolation remain major contributors to poor mental health. The church, when healthy, is meant to be a sanctuary—a place where people feel heard, held, and healed. But when judgment replaces compassion, community can wound instead of mend.

Luther stood before councils and emperors with his life on the line, holding to Scripture as his only defence. His stand reminds us that truth will often be uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. What does it mean for us to defend truth today?

For too long, faith communities have treated emotions with suspicion—“Don’t be sad, just pray,” or “If you have faith, you wouldn’t be anxious.” But emotions aren’t enemies; they’re signals. Even Jesus wept, groaned, rejoiced, and anguished in prayer. The real question isn’t whether faith cancels feelings, but whether it teaches…

Modern manhood often gets measured by productivity—how much you can grind, earn, and achieve. Yet God designed men not only to work, but also to rest and to enjoy life. Work without rest burns you out; rest without purpose makes you stagnant; play without discipline leaves you ungrounded. The real…