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3 Truths to Combat Parenting Shame
Parenting is not an easy journey—even for the most faithful Christian. And at times we all feel shame. Here are three truths to remember to combat parenting shame.
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Would Jesus Wear a Mask?
SARS-CoV-2 hit the US over a year ago. Despite the worldwide scourge, many still felt that the pandemic was a hoax or another attempt at government control. Some nations took it seriously. Others did not. But this coronavirus plays no favorites. It does not respect politics or religion. It follows the rules of basic biology. Whether this pandemic started with a laboratory leak or wet market, no one can argue that we’ve lost too many lives because of it. And for the survivors, many still deal with long-haul symptoms months after infection. And then there’s the mask debate. (Insert eyeroll.) Do we really need to wear them? Do they even…
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The New Leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven
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God Makes Ugly Beautiful
Isn’t springtime delightful? The landscape seems to go from ugly and barren to beautiful as new life emerges. Practically every day, I go outside to my garden, pushing aside dried leaves to see what is coming back up from the ground after the cold winter. The contrast from the ugly barrenness of winter to the beauty of new life emerging in the spring inspires worship. Easter belongs in the spring, doesn’t it? Spring reminds us that God makes ugly beautiful. One Friday, almost 2000 years ago, something very ugly happened. Jesus, the sinless God-man who walked among us people, was hung on a cross to die. The beautiful son of…
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The Old Leaven of the Kingdom of Darkness
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How Do We Love God with Our Whole Minds?
Today, I’m happy to feature as my guest columnist Ver-lee Cheneweth, my intern for the past year. You might remember meeting her last August when she shared about her journey relating to racism. During Texas’s February 2021 snowmageddon, all schools, including the seminary I attend, closed for a week. Doing schoolwork in subzero weather was ridiculous, so I chucked it for some recreational reading. Obviously, enjoying a compelling book snuggled beneath a downy comforter was the only sane way to pass the time unvexed. After reading Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez, however, I fumed, saying, “Dang it! What the heck is wrong with us? Why can’t evangelicals think…
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Just Jesus…
When I was younger I thought a revival was a 3-night event where all the church folk would come together and sing longer than normal. I later came to understand revival as awakening the church ultimately to win others to Christ. My husband and I are inner-city missionaries so I have been thinking about, praying about, and meeting about revival for a while now. But if I can be honest for a bit—I am tired. Although we have been at this for three years now, at times it seems the lingo of “revival” is still as nebulous and undefined as it was when I was a little girl. It almost…
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The Tale of a Traitor
There are many wonderful heroes and traitorous foes in the pages of the Bible. Both good and bad share in the human frailties that come from being made of dust. Noble heroes of faith surrounded by their unbelieving, accusing and deadly opponents are found in every book. However, tucked in the corner of a bigger story we find some who pose in the OT as worshipers of Jehovah or in the NT as Christ followers. They would fade into the background of the story if not for the amazing crossroads where their half-hearted faith meets their whole-hearted greed or hatred. Judas Iscariot was just such a man. Speaking of Judas,…
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Insightful Things Ignorant People Said
Insight: to apprehend the true nature of a thing Ignorance: lacking in knowledge or information; unaware Holy Week is just two weeks away and our thoughts are turning toward the passion of Christ. In preparation for that season, I usually read through the gospels, seeking fresh insights and trying to step into the story. There is no missing the drama and high emotion of that week before Jesus’ death and like most believers, it never fails to touch my heart. The gospel writers’ accounts of the last days and hours of Jesus’ life recall the ominous tension that filled Jerusalem that week before Passover. At least three players…
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What Does It Mean To Live With an Eternal Perspective?
Years ago, after spending his whole life on the mission field, a career missionary made his final trip home on a passenger ship. One of the other people on his sailing was a celebrity, and as the ship made its way into the harbor, all those on board beheld a huge throng of well wishers at the pier with signs and instruments to celebrate the famous person’s return. The missionary stood at the railing, watching wistfully, knowing that not a soul was there for him. He said, “Lord, I’ve served You my whole life. Look at all the recognition and revelry for that famous person, and there’s nobody here for…
