The Igniting Hope Blog

Big or Small on the Inside? By Steve Backlund One of the hidden tests in life and leadership is what happens inside us when someone else succeeds, and we are not. Most of us enjoy our own victories. The greater challenge is often learning how to respond when someone else receives the promotion, favor, influence, opportunity, or breakthrough we were hoping for ourselves. James 3:13-18 describes two kinds of wisdom. One is characterized by bitter envy and selfish ambition. The

The Manna Ceased By Steve Backlund “Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land…” (Joshua 5:12). What a fascinating and emotional verse. For forty years, the Israelites experienced miraculous daily provision. Every morning manna appeared on the ground. It was dependable, supernatural, and familiar. An entire generation had built their lives around it. Then suddenly it stopped. At first glance, that sounds disappointing. Why would God remove

Improve It By Steve Backlund Most of us love new beginnings, but we often underestimate what comes next. Whether it is a new job, a home, a marriage, a ministry role, or a leadership responsibility, these feel like open doors, answered prayers, and fulfilled desires. And they are. But every new “possession” also carries something we don’t always consider at first: Responsibility. What we receive, we get to steward. Possessing Is Just the Beginning It is easy to focus on getti

I Am So Glad I Needed to Persevere By Steve Backlund This is a continuation of my last blog, “I Am So Glad It Was Hard”. One of the most freeing truths I’ve learned is this: What we overcome (what we persevere in) becomes an area we carry spiritual authority and increased influence in to bring breakthrough and freedom to others. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the

I Am So Glad It Was Hard By Steve Backlund I was talking with Wendy recently as we reflected on high-profile Christian leaders who were in the news because of personal failures that have caused great pain in the Body of Christ. Some were people who rose quickly in influence and whose character hadn’t caught up with their calling. In the middle of that conversation, something came out of my mouth that surprised me with its clarity: “I am so glad it was hard for us.” I’m gratef

Navigating Church Controversies with Hope & Strong Beliefs By Steve Backlund When controversy arises in the Body of Christ, it reveals more about how we believe than what we believe. Conversations around public leaders and ministries (like those recently involving Shawn Bolz and Bethel Church) can quickly become emotionally charged. Here are four ways I have learned that have helped me navigate moments like these with hope-filled thinking and strong, healthy beliefs. My goal

Avoiding Destructive Pendulum Swings in Our Lives By Steve Backlund “But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . .. self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). There are many areas in which we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to control and overcome negative impulses. One area we will see self-control manifesting is in helping us not to overreact to perceived doctrinal error or to negative information we hear about people. Here are two good verses on self-control. “All things are lawful fo

Who Do You Say They Are? By Steve Backlund “Who do you say they are?” Could this be the third most important question in all of life? The most important question to answer is who we say Jesus is. “(Jesus) said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’

Embracing “Failure” By Steve Backlund Let’s reject the lie that says, “If something is hard to do for us, then we can’t do it.” If we fall for this deception, we are determining our future from our past. This faulty thinking is something we cannot take with us in the higher plans and purposes God has for us. The opposite of this lie and life-restricting mindset is this: I embrace failure as part of the process of learning to walk in higher levels of living. As I think about

“Row Like Your Life Depends On It!” By Steve Backlund “Row like your life depends on it!” Our raft guide yelled these words to the six of us who were in a raft headed into treacherous river rapids. It felt like how God speaks to me when He is leading me into times of risk and spiritual adventure. God has wired us to love risk and adventure. (Teenage boys especially tend to create stress for their moms by what they do. Let’s just laugh at that!) If we always play it safe, we