Where is God in a Natural Disaster?
My husband and I recently returned from a disaster relief deployment to Vermont where we helped clean up after major flooding. It was farther …
What God Says about Religion
What does the word religious mean to you? The meaning has changed over the years for me. Growing up, I thought of it as …
Is Declaring Independence Always a Good Idea?
Everyone loves freedom. We dream of it. We march for it. We fight wars to secure it. We celebrate it. The fact that it …
Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All
James 3:2 says, “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, …
An Heir to Chastisements
Imagine with me a bereaved family gathered together in their lawyer’s office. They are grieving the loss of their beloved patriarch. Their eyes are …
Good
Good is one of my treasured words*. We use it multiple times every day because it is so versatile. This is just a partial …
What Does God Ask of Us—Perfection or Excellence?
As followers of Christ, we represent him to the world. Therefore, we should do all things well, right? Like he would. Not sloppy or …
Jesus, the Creator of New
As the days in December dwindle each year, many of us begin to entertain ways to improve our situation or become a better person. …
My Shifting Views on Christmas
I’ve been doing some thinking about what Christmas—the holiday—is. For most of my life, I have understood it to be the time of year …
Resisting the Itch of Temptation
My leg began itching—maddeningly. My first impulse, of course, was to scratch it. However, I was lying in bed and didn’t want to disturb …