This is an excerpt from the third chapter of By Water and the Word: God’s Gift of Baptism for You by Brian Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2026), pgs 52-60.
Even when the bitter places sink down deep into our bones, the Restorer never relinquishes his grip on you.
To Live Well is therefore not a general advice book, but a message suffused with the gospel.

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As you step into the days ahead, remember this: no matter how lost you may feel, you have a God who seeks you out, celebrates your return, and rejoices over you.
It's a new year, and you are still the same you: a sinner who is simultaneously perfect in every way because Christ declares it to be so.
The narrative of the Nativity is what Christmas is all about.
It is impossible to live our lives in a way that would convince God of our value because he already knows our value. He is the one who gave it to us.
Longstanding tradition must be bolstered by something outside of ourselves that also lies outside of the traditions of men.
The Lord’s provision doesn’t rest on the strength of our gratitude.
Instead of a “how-to” manual, the Bible is a “what-you-didn’t-do” story.
Show me a sinner, and I’ll write you a story of a God who saves them.
If we picture the New Testament as a divinely painted masterpiece that hangs in the middle of a museum, then all around it are other works of the period, in different corridors of the museum, in many styles, painted by diverse artists, with variations of color and technique.
Jesus Christ is relentless. He does not give up. And with him comes the certainty of redemption.
Let your soul grieve, yes, but don’t let it be eaten alive by worry.
God’s creatures on four legs are some of the greatest storytellers of the Scriptures.