The Igniting Hope Blog

Invest Now or Pay More Later By Steve Backlund Every day we are either borrowing from our future or investing in it. Many years ago, AAMCO Transmissions had a memorable slogan: "Pay now or pay later." Their message was simple. Spend a little money on maintenance today or spend much more repairing major problems later. That phrase has stayed with me because it describes one of the great principles of God's Kingdom. We all face moments when we can embrace a small amount of disc

Believe and Manage By Steve Backlund One of the greatest areas where we are tempted to be frustrated in our Christian life is believing for something that hasn't happened yet. We have all experienced it. We are believing God for healing, but our bodies are still hurting. We are believing for a stronger marriage, but challenges remain. We are believing for financial breakthrough, yet we're still battling debt. We believe for emotional freedom while continuing to renew our mind

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