Ray Burns

I love Christ, my wife and four kids, the Oxford comma, and board games. Although saved at 18, it took 10 years for me to stop chasing idols and find true satisfaction in Christ. God's given me a passion for teaching and writing, and with that a deep burden to be my creator's instrument in giving His people a profound, unshakable relationship with their savior.

Why My Family Plays Board Games

Approximate Reading Time: 5 minutes“Wow, you guys must like board games” is a phrase I hear any time someone enters our home for the first time. Greeting anyone entering the front door is a whole bookshelf of board games, and even more tucked in a corner next to it. Of course their suspicions are confirmed if they enter my […]

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(Spiritually) Keeping Up with the Joneses – The Blessing of Examples

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutesMany of us have “that Christian” in our lives. They’ve been saved for decades, perhaps even as long as we have, and their knowledge and passion for God is at a level we could never obtain. We feel a sense of admiration for them, but also a tinge of jealousy because we want to be

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Christians and Psychology (Part 5): Finding the Better Solution

Approximate Reading Time: 9 minutes(This article also includes a podcast discussion. Listen on your Apple or Android podcast app.) My last article was a tough one, taking a very heavy and honest look at my own mental health history and trying to understand that my problem, at the root, was spiritual. Psychology could only look at surface-level symptoms, but

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3 Reasons Not to Blame Others

Approximate Reading Time: 6 minutesIn 2019, I’m almost hesitant to write an article like this. Much of Christian writing mixes spirituality with self-help, making a pseudo-gospel where Christ exists so we can be better people. But after yesterday’s bigger topic of why we blame others for our failure (link), it seems important to also discuss some more practical reasons

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Why Do We Blame Others When We Fail?

Approximate Reading Time: 6 minutesNo one likes failing. It’s embarrassing, frustrating, and often makes us feel like we’ve wasted whatever time we’ve invested. All of that is much worse, however, when it’s someone else’s fault that we failed. Whether it’s in business, competitive sports, or in our own lives, it’s so often someone else’s fault that things don’t go

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