Valentine’s Day is just a day. It’s February 14th every year. It has 24 hours in it. The sun rises at the start of it and the sunsets at the end. We eat. We drink. We go about our lives. Valentine’s Day is just a day. The ‘day of love’ has passed us by yet again and still, there is something deeply ingrained in our concept of this day that leaves quite a lot of us feeling a little more ‘lovey dovey’ than usual.
Read MoreStanding on the shores of the Sea of Galilee I gazed out across the glasslike water. The surface was so still, it reminded me of a magnificent mirror. The calmness of the water ensured a near-perfect reflection of the surrounding Galilee mountains. I felt a holy hush settle gently as the peace of the scene surpassed the water’s edge and wrapped itself around me. I was no longer viewing a tranquil reflection, I had become it. The peace I perceived now sprang from within me.
Read MoreLegalism in religion is a tale as old as time. When Jesus walked this earth, he would often engage in discussions with religious leaders who very publicly spoke of just how good they were at following religious rules. But Jesus came preaching something new: being justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28).
Read MoreMary Elizabeth, Mary Elizabeth - the glue is new!?! The gleeful voice of a three year old calls from across the classroom.
Yeah, bud! It’s a new glue stick, I respond.
He holds it out to me, completely smitten with the new tool.
It’s red!
Preschoolers are a study in contrasts. They are full of energy and want to talk to their friends, stay completely engaged in everything that’s going on, and overhear every possible conversation. But their bodies need to recharge. These two opposite “needs” make naptime an interesting part of the day in a preschool classroom.
Read MoreFor many people, this past year brought changes no one saw coming: job loss, unexpected moves, heartbreak, sickness, and fears for the future. Maybe you’ve felt like me: gratitude for peace, family, and safety, but uncertainty about what the future holds. Even more than that, I’ve been feeling uncertain how to step forward in faith to what God has for me.
Read MoreChristmas is usually the time of year when we open our Bibles to the gospels and we read through the accounts of Jesus’ birth. Sometimes we read them quickly, taking in the flow of events that culminated in a baby’s cry. Sometimes we read them slowly, looking for the bits of gold that maybe we have never noticed before. Sometimes we read them purposefully, seeking to be quiet and to be at the feet of the Author of the Story, hoping to hear something.
Read MoreGrowing up, I had a friend who always noticed other people’s noses. The reason was simple: she hated her nose, and so the first thing she noticed about anyone she met is their nose (usually in the context of how much better their nose was than her own). It might be a silly example, but to me, it illustrates what Apostle Paul is trying to point out in this week’s passage: judging others for the very things we ourselves do.
Read MoreThroughout our college years and our twenties, my friends and I got together each year in February to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Not Valentine’s Day—Galentine’s Day.
Read MoreOne of the great benefits of being an elementary teacher is actually remembering all the slightly forget-able, yet helpful, knowledge you learned back in your early days...
Read MoreDon’t be deceived by the title. This book does not assume that one fine day all of its readers will be married. It’s not even written solely to the singles crowd. With relatable storytelling and sound wisdom gleaned from Scripture and plenty of difficult, awkward experiences, Marshall Segal titles his book to remind us that “on this side of heaven we are all not yet married” (15).
Read MoreI have been through a few seasons in my life so far. God has shown me in each season how everything works in His timing and not my own. Some may recall parts of their life with bitterness or despair. Thankfully, I can reminisce on my own with fondness and gratefulness. God had His hand on my life through those times, and His faithfulness is truly evident looking back.
Read MoreLast week, we learned that Paul’s desire to visit Rome stemmed from his eagerness to preach the Gospel. New and mature Christians both often forget what exactly the Gospel is, so this week will be a good reminder for us on living by the Gospel and the fruit that it brings into the lives of believers.
Read MoreFrom where I stood, looking over the salt marsh near my home to see the vast night sky, the two planets nearly touched. Jupiter and Saturn, the two biggest worlds in our solar system, aligned and were closer than they had ever been in 400 years.
Read More2021. It’s a new year, filled with lots of hope and expectations for better days and more human interaction. At the end of 2020, everyone had big goals and hearts full of hope — hope in the new year, in the flip of a page of the calendar. And within just one week, our country faced an unspeakable trial, knocking down the hope in the better days that were supposed to refresh us in the new year. As Christians, we are called to put our hope in Christ, not in any year or even any person.
Read MoreTrust is a rare quality to find in our world right now. We have more distrust with the media, politicians, healthcare providers, scientists, and theologians than one may remember. I find myself not knowing who or what to believe anymore. And yet, I have peace. I have peace because I know my Engineer will remain constant always. God is the constant I can always trust.
Read MoreThis year I decided that I needed to start my New Year’s resolutions a little bit early. Like a lot of people, my activity level has significantly decreased over the past year, partly due to not going to the gym and partly due to no longer walking around a school for seven hours a day.
Read MoreThe first paragraph of Paul’s letter (v. 1-7) is essentially an outline of the book of Romans as Paul summarizes the Good News about Jesus Christ who (1) came as a human by natural descent, (2) was part of the Jewish royal line through David, (3) died and was raised from the dead, and (4) opened the door for God’s grace to be poured out on us.
Read MoreIn the moments when we don’t know what to do - which have been numerous, even in the first few days of this new year - we would do well to quote this verse from Ecclesiastes. For a few days, I fell into a pattern of what I called “righteous anger”... until I realized that sitting in judgment wasn’t moving me closer to my God or farther from my pent-up fears.
Read MoreI don’t believe it’s possible to discuss the change of year and hope of rest and renewal without addressing the overwhelming amount of pain in the room. Pain from illness that took loved ones. Pain in protests and riots. Pain in politics. Pain in our lives. Pain in our relationships. I am weary with pain.
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