Fernie Cosgrove

Oct 7, 2023 | thegospelcoalition.org | Fernie Cosgrove |Jordan Taylor |J. D. Greear |Sam Ferguson

It all started with an innocent conversation, a few extra minutes of attention, and a childish confidence in a trustworthy adult. His constant messaging and intentionality made her feel comfortable, cared for, and special. He was a teacher, and she’d been taught to trust, listen, and obey. But something was off this time. Slowly his messages began pleading for their special relationship to be a secret. No one should find out they were talking—the threats of trouble were implicit.

Sep 20, 2023 | thegospelcoalition.org | Fernie Cosgrove |Brett McCracken |Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra |Joe Carter

Call me—it’s an emergency. The dreaded words crossed my screen, and I immediately dialed her number. Her voice was shaky as she explained the details of the night. In the middle of dinner, their phone rang with dreadful news: their 17-year-old son had attempted suicide and was on his way to the closest hospital. Advertise on TGCHer voice was full of fear, anxiety, and confusion. She wanted to understand. What was happening? What led him to attempt suicide? Will he be OK?

May 23, 2023 | thegospelcoalition.org | Fernie Cosgrove |Matt Smethurst |Kevin DeYoung |Don Carson

I have a hard time correcting and being stern with my employees. What should my tone and delivery look like? Giving correction and feedback is always challenging, particularly in the workplace as you’re tasked with overseeing different personalities. As a newer supervisor, this is one of the areas where I’ve had to grow the most. Advertise on TGCEvery work environment has conflict to be managed, work to be improved on, and deadlines to be met.

Apr 18, 2023 | thegospelcoalition.org | Fernie Cosgrove |Mike Minter |Kevin DeYoung |Dorothy Griffin

The phone demands my attention, interrupting the flow of the work in front of me. It’s my child’s school. As I pick up the phone, I know what they’ll say—and I’m right. He has a fever and needs to get picked up. “I’ll be there soon,” I say automatically as I wrap up the email response I’m working on. I pull up my calendar to look at what’s still ahead in the day and to request things be rescheduled. Advertise on TGCMeanwhile, my mind rants, Not again! How many times does that make? Ten? Twelve?

Mar 22, 2023 | thegospelcoalition.org | Fernie Cosgrove |Mike Pettengill |Will Anderson |Catherine Allison

As I finished my lecture one day, I noticed the ache on a student’s face and asked her to stay after class to talk. Her eyes welled with tears—it had been a difficult year. She told me she’d entered the social work program with a fervent desire to follow Jesus’s commands to visit the prisoner, serve the poor and outcast, and care for the orphan and widow (James 1:27).