Twisting Scripture

If there is anything that irritates me more, it is Instagram Christianity. When Christians are struggling, they rarely open their Bibles to find comfort from God. No, they look for a meme, or a reel, or a "Word from the Lord" from their favorite Bible influencer. Men literally burned at the stake so we can …

Heaven Sent Humility

            First-century Rome championed an honor-shame society. What this means is that above happiness, pleasure, or prosperity, honor and reputation ruled men's highest goals. Aristotle, from the 4th century B.C., wrote that "Honour and reputation are among the pleasantest things, through each person's imagining that he has the qualities of an important person; and all …

Coming Out of the Dark

            Yesterday, two dear friends and I met to discuss John 9. We read the story of the man, born blind, who was unexpectedly healed when Jesus passed by him that day. He did not ask Jesus to heal him. He had probably never even entertained the idea that He would ever see. He did, …

Blessed Are They That Mourn

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 Last June, I sat in the hospital with one of my children alone. Only one parent was allowed at a time, and there was no cell service there. It was a fear-filled time with so much still unknown. It was a time to …

The Contradiction of Sinners

            Happy 2026, my friends! I hope your year is off to a great start, and you have made some commitments that are helping you form healthy new routines. For those of you who are sticking to a new Bible reading schedule, I am praying that you stay faithful and that it becomes your new …

Beautiful Women of Faith: Blessed Is She Who Believed

Every year, my favorite movie is "The Nativity Story." It is a beautiful rendition of the Biblical account of Jesus's birth. This year, however, the hardships Mary and Joseph faced captured my attention. Why did the angel inform Mary of God's plan, but Joseph was not informed until Mary's pregnancy was evident? Why did God …

Beautifully Messy Becoming

For many of us, this has been a difficult year. As I sat down to write out my Thanksgiving reflections from each month of this last year, my first one listed the hard, heart-rending things. With nearly monthly regularity, there was another difficult struggle to record. I will spare you the details because there is …

Beautiful Women of Faith: Faltering, yet Finding Him Faithful

On the morning of my youngest child's eighteenth birthday, nostalgia and hope fight for priority. Nostalgia looks at the regrets and joyful memories of the past; hope sees how God will work it all together to shape this young woman's own journey of faith. No mother can automatically pass on her faith. She can only …

Beautiful Women of Faith: The Prayer that Revived a Nation

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then …

Beautiful Women of Faith: A Woman Unnamed

She stayed when everyone else walked away. She supported her husband when he came in exhausted after preaching to people who wouldn't listen. She protected her three small boys from the violent, lewd, evil world outside of their home. She provided a good example to her daughters-in-law when they, too, chose to follow their husbands …