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Motherhood is a Ministry
Recently, while visiting with a college student, listening to her explore her thoughts, hopes, and questions regarding career, ministry, and motherhood; I could tell that her aim was to get it right. When I pitched the idea that motherhood is a ministry she responded by saying that she had never thought of it that way. So here we are. Perhaps you too can be encouraged to know motherhood is in fact, a ministry. You can call it a job if you’d like, it certainly isn’t an idle pastime. In my own journey as Mom, I have organized my time in various ways. I have homeschooled, never left the house, worked…
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The Feasts of Israel – Booths (Tabernacles)
These are the Lord’s appointed times, holy assemblies, which you must proclaim at their appointed time. (Leviticus 23:4 NET)
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Contextualization, Part 2: Making Known the Unknown God
Part two in a series on contextualization from my former intern, Crystal. “You need more rice.” I watched my mentor scoop more of the starchy grain onto another student’s plate. We were dining at a Chinese restaurant, courtesy of the head of the research lab where I was interning. “Chinese people eat a lot of rice. It’s a staple in our culture. Like how Americans eat bread or potatoes.” Now, I can think of some American cuisines where the meat seems more indispensable. (Have you feasted at a Texas barbeque?) But my mentor’s analogy had served its purpose. My peer’s face lit up with understanding. Biblical Precedence for Contextualization My…
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The Beautiful Attitudes – Part IV: Blessed are those that Hunger and Thirst
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6 NET) The Greek word for blessed (i.e., makarios) used here has the meaning of being fortunate, prosperous, or successful. That is, successful are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness! Why? Because they shall be satisfied! Satisfied with what? Righteousness, of course! What is righteousness? Glad you asked! Righteousness (1) is the spiritual condition of being found right with, acceptable to, or fully pleasing to God! Those who hunger and thirst to be found right with, acceptable to, or fully pleasing to God will find that hunger completely satisfied. The relevant question is, just how…
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He Regrets Us
“But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. The Lord REGRETTED that he had made humankind on the earth…. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe humankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – everything from humankind to animals, including creatures that move on the ground and birds of the air, for I REGRET that I have made them” (Genesis 6:5-7). “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were…
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The Path to Sticky Faith
Do you want the children you influence to have real faith that sticks throughout their teenage years and beyond? Can you recognize what is pulling them away from that? We live in a pull-apart world. Many teens who were raised in churched homes walk away from their faith when they leave home to go to college or beyond. I know you do not want that. To stay on the path to sticky faith, you have to make choices for yourself and for them. Desiring Sticky Faith for Your Children I loved being a mentor mom for a “Moms Together” group at a local church. I learned so much from these…
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The Quiet Power of Kindness
Proverbs 31:26, “The law of kindness is on her tongue…” The Proverbs 31 woman (who was not an actual person, which is good to know) was praised for her multiple virtues. One of those qualities was kindness, which is defined as gentleness or benevolence. As our American culture grows increasingly cynical, crude, divisive and confusing, simple kindness shown to others is more vital to our gospel witness than ever before. I have observed over my years of ministry and life in general that the effect of kindness on others and myself can be profound. Three observations: Kindness should be the “law” on our tongues, just as Mrs. Proverbs 31. It…
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3 Reasons Why Believers Need the Guidance of Bible Scholars
In an authentic German pub a few years ago, I met John. We were fellow passengers traveling across Germany on a riverboat cruise. Over schnitzel and sauerkraut, I learned that John, a retired businessman, was on a quest to find the source of his prosperous life. He told me that, unlike others he knew, he had enjoyed incredible financial success, good health, and had a family he loved and who loved him. Listening to his story, I realized that John and I were having a divine appointment. I could almost hear his heart crying out to know the Truth. In our ensuing conversation, I shared a bit about the Way…
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Stay Focused on What Matters
A 5th grade Sunday School class talks about Jesus' upcoming death.
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The Eclipse Declares the Glory of God, v. 2024
“The heavens declare the glory of God,” Psalm 19 tells us. On April 8, 2024, millions of Americans will have an incredible opportunity to see His heavenly glory in a way most of us never have: through a total solar eclipse. On a path running from Texas to Maine, observers on the ground will see the moon slip in front of the sun, blocking out all its light and dropping the temperature drastically (about 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit) and suddenly. I am thrilled beyond words that by the grace of God, our home in Dallas, Texas is in the path of totality. All I have to do is go…