Dear Hope Friends,The EBs are home after a great birthday celebration for our 8 year old at a waterpark in the Dells. She said it was her favorite birthday of all time -- and we agree that 8 is a perfect year for a birthday. You're old enough to go on all the big slides and young enough you don't care if you look cool doing it! Which is, of course, a great metaphor for how complicated life becomes...

Have you ever felt like you had to check your brain at the door to belong in church?This week, we're flipping that script. In A Faith That Thinks Critically, we'll explore how Jesus welcomed questions, encouraged thoughtful engagement, and called us to love God not just with our hearts—but with our minds.Whether you've wrestled with Scripture, carried doubts, or simply long for a faith that makes ...