Love Them Into Being

For the past twenty-one years, my designated occupation on our tax forms and all official (and unofficial) documents has been "domestic diva."  Given the flashy title, my house should look a lot better than it does, but my fierce and steadfast focus within that job title has been to raise four young men to love… Continue reading Love Them Into Being

Seven Women. Seven Virtues.

The only thing better than a good biography is SEVEN good biographies, and that's what Eric Metaxas offers in 7 Women and the Secret of Their Greatness.  Through touching down at seven distinct historical and geographical points, my mind was coaxed beyond its tendency to "see everything in the dark glass of [my] own era, with… Continue reading Seven Women. Seven Virtues.

Finding Abundance in the Shadow of Death

A journey through cancer and a journey of joy would seem to be two very divergent paths -- particularly if the cancer is terminal and if it hits in the midst of a season of health and productivity.  However, Steve and Sharol Hayner have invited readers into their experience of Joy in the Journey  --… Continue reading Finding Abundance in the Shadow of Death

Wisdom for Waiting: Ten Lessons from the Life of Joseph

It's become a cliché, really. "Wait on God." In the glib heart, it's an all purpose non-answer.  It's what we say when we don't know what to say. In Waiting on God: What to Do When God Does Nothing, Wayne Stiles opens the lens of Scripture to take in the Old Testament life of Joseph and de-formulizes that… Continue reading Wisdom for Waiting: Ten Lessons from the Life of Joseph

Brother Andrew: Still Opening Doors

As a child of the Cold War era, I learned a chilling fascination for anything to do with "The Iron Curtain."  When my high school music teacher started spending her summer vacations on short-term missions trips to Eastern Europe, I was certain that I, too, would be called to minister in lands closed to the… Continue reading Brother Andrew: Still Opening Doors

J.I. Packer: Strategies for Living

Knowing God by J.I. Packer was the first book of theology that I bought and read simply because I wanted to. It had not been assigned by any professor, and it was not related to anything that I was teaching at the time.  I wanted to read it because it sounded like an invitation to… Continue reading J.I. Packer: Strategies for Living

New Girl. New Song.

During their years of captivity, the people of Israel needed encouragement.  The prophet Zephaniah reminded them of God's presence in their midst, His power to save, and the fact that He rejoiced in His love for them, a joy that was expressed in song! "The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will… Continue reading New Girl. New Song.

Hebrews — “Be Confident!”

Reading Warren Wiersbe, I understand how my kids feel when I glance into a closet and pull out the basketball they "can't find."  It was there all along, but they just didn't see it.  In his writing Dr. Wiersbe pulls outlines and alliteration out of Scripture -- rather than imposing them upon the text --… Continue reading Hebrews — “Be Confident!”

Your Story Matters

When Esteban, the church parking lot attendant, was charged with heresy, no one took the accusation seriously -- at least not at first.  He viewed his trial as one more platform for The Story, and with a very influential audience.  No one could have predicted the crowd becoming a mob, and his listeners becoming his… Continue reading Your Story Matters