Life is supposed to be easy, right? Not so fast. Author and pastor, Andy Reider, offers a wake-up call for the cultural narrative that everything in our life should always be up-and-to-the-right. The reality is that life is hard, and it takes twists and turns. A better goal than an easy life, is learning to develop resilience. And that, as it turns out, is only learned the hard way. 

Read the full length article [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/easy-hates-you-and-wants-to-ruin-your-life). 
Find more articles by Andy Reider [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/authors/andy-reider).

Hearing from God can feel like an impossible task. Do I have to sit in silence for hours, throw away my phone, and trade in my favorite t-shirt for some monk's robes? Author Donny Black used to think so, until he started devoting time every day learning to listen to God. In this article, Donny shares the simple five-minute formula he follows to help him hear, and stay connected, to God like never before.

Read the full length article [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/how-i-hear-from-god-in-5-minutes-and-you-can-too). 
Find more articles by Donny Black [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/authors/donny-black). 
Find the latest Crossroads articles [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/).

Audio Articles Updated

“How I Hear From God in 5 Minutes (And You Can Too)” by Donny Black

For many kids and teens, having a personal cell phone has become a right of passage—but that little device isn’t all fun and games. From Internet privacy to pornography, bullying to online gambling, cell phones can open our kids to a world of potential problems. How can a family navigate these issues, while maintaining the convenience of being able to text your kid about the updated start time for soccer practice? Author and pastor, Alli Patterson, stumbled upon the answer: the family phone. In this article, she unpacks how having a shared phone has allowed her kids to experience freedom while learning appropriate boundaries, all under the watchful care of their parents. If you're feeling pressured to get your kid a phone, try this first. 

Read the full length article [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/feeling-pressure-to-get-your-kid-a-phone-try-this). 
Find more articles by Alli Patterson [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/authors/alli-patterson). 
Find the latest Crossroads articles [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/). 

“Feeling Pressure To Get Your Kid A Phone? Try This.” by Alli Patterson

Decades into following Jesus, author Caleb Mathis struggled with prayer. It often felt forced, unnatural, even boring. It was a muscle that needed training, so he borrowed the perspective of some of the greatest athletes, artists, and influencers in history—copy, until you can do it on your own. In this helpful article, Caleb shares five prayers from other people—some from scripture, some from later heroes of the faith—that he routinely uses to work (and strengthen) his prayer muscles. If your prayer time could use a boost, this article is waiting for you. 

Read the full length article [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/prayer-is-hard-copying-makes-it-easier). 
Find more articles by Caleb Mathis [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/authors/caleb-mathis). 
Find the latest Crossroads articles [here](https://www.crossroads.net/media/articles/). 

“Easy Hates You And Wants To Ruin Your Life” by Andy Reider

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