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All is Well
We travelled at night on our way home from Thanksgiving, on highways surrounded by emptiness. Leaving family behind and reflecting on what this past year revealed about our country, world, and my life triggered some concern and sadness. It doesn’t take long to develop a gloomy character or holiday funk. Then, interrupting my downheartedness, streaming through the car speakers, came the beautiful Christmas song “All is Well” by Michael W. Smith. I sat there in the darkness, repeating in my mind, but all is not well. In fact, I could create quite a list of situations I would love to see changed. Couldn’t you? None of us have to search…
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We Worship What We Value Most
Worship. This is a word we do not think about much and therefore do not tend to have a grasp on its meaning and significance, but we live it out every day. Unfortunately, our object of worship is earthly. However, I like the following definition: “Worship. The act of adoring and praising God, that is, ascribing worth to God as the one who deserves homage and service”[1] This definition reveals who the object of our worship should be. Let’s break that definition down to discover the meaning and significance of worship. Worship is the act of adoring and praising God, that is, ascribing worth to God. Worship runs throughout the…
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Preparation for Christmas
Remembering Love at ChristmasI am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have lovedyou, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are Mydisciples: if you have love for one another. – John 13:34-35Love.Jesus commands us to love. But what does this look like?How can we love better during this Christmas season of joy and merry?How do you love your obnoxious neighbor who has drills going and hammers clamoringat all hours of the day and night?How do you love the child who is talking back?How do you love the spouse who is too tired to talk or spend…
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Born Under the Shadow of a Cross
What will you tell your Children about the Christ of Christmas this year? Perhaps they are old enough to learn that Isaiah calls Him a man of sorrows; and is it any wonder? From the moment of His conception Jesus was feeling loss. With loss comes grief. And yet somehow, in the very midst of grieving, our Lord found joy. “…for the joy that was set before Him…” Hebrews 12:2b Scripture gives us a glimpse of the eternal infinite God. We know that He created time, space, and matter out of nothing, Genesis 1 and John 1:3. Then, Galatians 4:4 tells us that when it was appropriate, God Himself stepped…
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Give Thanks IN Everything
When it comes to reading the Bible, each word matter. Take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. At first glance it can seem Paul is calling us to radical, unrealistic happiness. But look at each word—even the tiny ones—and you’ll see he’s calling us to something far more significant. Rejoice always. Paul doesn’t say be happy always. He calls us to be joyful always. That doesn’t mean we’ll always feel good. He isn’t calling us to act okay when life is not. Instead he’s challenging us to shift our focus.…
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Plan Ahead for Meaningful Holidays: Make This The Year You Get It Right
I’m still working on the shopping list for the Thanksgiving menu. And it feels a bit early to plan now for the Christmas season. But the first Sunday in Advent falls on December 1 this year. And we want to experience a sane, wise holiday season, right? We want to eschew the insanity that often comes with the celebration. And that requires some planning. And so I give you my annual list of seven suggestions. Here’s the 2024 offering. Fifteen minutes of planning now can prevent fifteen hours of chaos later. So schedule a date with your calendar—perhaps while having a pedicure. Take the insanity out of the season so…
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Discover Prayer (Part I): We Must Ask!
We must ask our Heavenly Father for what we need, want, and desire.
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Cling to the Truth of Your Heritage
Christians who follow God must intentionally teach the next generation about the true heritage of those who walked with God before them. When we know the stories of faithful believers in our great God, even with their faults, we can counterbalance our culture’s attempts to distort our view of ourselves as Christians by belittling our past.
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What Does Church History Reveal About Women in Public Ministry?
What does church history reveal about women in public ministry? Does the Bible affirm women serving in ministry leadership? Yes, no, maybe? For approximately twelve months, from 2021 into 2022, I had the privilege of serving on the writing team for the book 40 Questions About Women in Ministry. Just as its’ title states, the book asks and answers forty questions about women and church leadership. This newest book collaboration by Sue Edwards and Kelley Mathews is part of the Kregel Publications 40 Questions series. On their website, Kregel describes the book like this:
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“Recalculating Route”
When a friend visited from another state, she used the GPS function of her phone to help her get around. I was in the car with her on one trip where we had to go to downtown Dallas and weren’t sure how to get where we were going. At one point, the friendly little GPS lady instructed her to turn right and she demurred, saying, “I don’t think that’s right.” And she continued on through the intersection. Just as I was starting to smile at the craziness of a visitor unfamiliar with the city disagreeing with the directions to a place she’d never been to, the GPS lady announced, “Recalculating…
