Continuing my study of the minor prophets, I find those guys exceptionally relatable in light of current events. A few days ago, though, a verse jumped out at me as not only meaningful in context of biblical prophecy, but in personal context as well. That verse was Habakkuk 2:2, “Write down this vision, and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it” (BSB). If you’re not familiar with Habakkuk, his prophetic writings were in the context of waiting. T

As I write this, the headlines change daily, or even hourly, regarding the situation in the Middle East. Add to that the almost-daily stories of people taking their frustration out in tragic shootings; the complicated situations as elected officials in some states and cities openly declare stances that contradict America’s founding values; and the fuel prices that haven’t dropped nearly as quickly as they rose, and this column is off to a depressing start, right? Oh, y

For over two decades in law enforcement, shining boots has become part of my own routine. But somewhere along the way, I realized Dad wasn’t polishing shoes because someone demanded it. He was preparing.

Given that knowledge, why would anyone want to leave the path?

After studying the book of Mark, I’ve been thinking about Jesus’ concise response to the question posed by a Jewish teacher of the Law in Mark chapter 12. Recognizing Jesus’ wise response to previous questions, the man asked Jesus to identify the “greatest commandment.” As a religious leader, he was not referring simply to the Ten Commandments list in Exodus 20, but rather the entire Law given to Moses and recorded in the Old Testament, plus quite a few traditions and deta

Recently I shared about an episode of slow Wi-Fi at a really inconvenient time, which taught me some important things about patiently waiting while using the time to focus on just being in the presence of Jesus and hearing from the Holy Spirit for guidance. Along with a very helpful devotional reading—the only email that actually opened that morning—I returned, as I often do, to what I’d call my “life verse,” Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God” (NIV). That part

A few days ago, our wi-fi decided to take a morning break, or maybe all the neighbors and area tourists decided to check their email or binge Netflix while it was raining. Whatever the cause, my computer wasn’t loading anything I needed to use, read, or work on before I left for an event starting mid-morning. Switching to my phone hotspot didn’t help. When I eventually got my email open, the first message I saw was an Encouragement for Today devotional entitled “Waiting in

Today’s First5 devotional was from the 12th chapter of Mark’s Gospel, with Jesus sharing a parable of tenant farmers killing messengers sent by the landowner and, eventually, killing the landowner’s son. Recognizing themselves in the story, religious leaders hoped to trap Jesus by asking him a craftily-worded question: “Teacher, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” They were right; Jesus is i

A recent blog post, from a church network I often follow, referenced the biblical command to “live by the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16, NET). Some versions say “walk by” or “be guided by,” but all capitalize “Spirit,” implying that the reference is to God’s Holy Spirit. The blog writer then asked an interesting, and important, question: What other “spirit” could we otherwise live by? That question has stuck with me since reading the post, and I’ve found myself asking it about my dai

At my house, sorting/organizing books is an ongoing project. I have piles of books: Current nonfiction topics; Bible study guides that I was inspired to buy and hope to actually use; classics I want to revisit (or actually read, if I only read the assigned excerpt in college); books I’ve been gifted at special events; early-edition thrift shop finds and more. Wandering around different rooms recently, hoping to devise a plan that doesn’t involve buying too much furniture o

Teaching first-graders in an area after-school program a few years ago, I was surprised during a “when you grow up” lesson assignment to see how many, even at that young age, included being an online “influencer” in their future goals, albeit without actually using that word. “I wanna be a You-Tuber” showed up more than once; another young man wanted to create online cartoons; still another wanted to be a champion gamer. Asked why, most responded something like “So people wil

During my study of the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah, one thing that stuck in my mind was the list of sacrifices. “For the dedication of the house of God, they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel of twelve male goats, one for each tribe of Israel” (Ezra 6:17). That number pales in comparison, though, to the lists from King Solomon’s dedication of the first temple, described in I Kings 8, when the numbe

Studying the books of Ezra and Nehemiah recently, I’m amazed at the relevance of the Old Testament today. Obviously, many prophetic writings are applicable, but there are valuable principles in the historical books as well. In addition to pointing in some way to Jesus, they can provide insight for our daily living. This week, I read about Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, which had been reduced to rubble by the Babylonian conquest. Although Ezra’s work had reinst

Has anyone else noticed that many people seem to think they should comment on anything and everything, regardless of whether it is actually their business or whether they have anything constructive to say? I’m not talking about well-written letters to the editor or commentary shared on public pages; rather, I’m referring to those people who jump right in to criticize news shared by others, without taking time to actually read the posted information and learn more about the si

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about maintenance. My husband and I are blessed to have a paid-for place to live and a couple of reasonably decent paid-for vehicles. While we are immensely thankful to be in that situation, we are also keenly aware that just because you have something, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely and forever trouble-free. We have a special section in our budget for our home, for example—insurance, pest control, regular maintenance visits by the HVAC pr

I’m fascinated with my current study of the Old Testament books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which describe the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland. As often happens, I’m also finding parallels with current events, plus applications to my own life. Ezra opens with the amazing story of God’s timing for the return, just as prophesied; the support received from King Cyrus of the Persian empire, including retrieval of Temple objects seized years earlier by Nebuchadnezzar; a

Since my regular Bible study has a “weekend wrap-up” without introducing new material, I enjoy spending part of my weekend devotional time in the Psalms and Proverbs. Reading Psalm 27 recently, I could still quote some of the verses I memorized as a child, including v. 1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?” (NIV) For years, that verse gave me comfort in scary situations ranging from Kansas torn

But which of us are worthy, in our own power, of God’s attention? Have I taken Jesus’ work of atonement for granted? And when I receive a special blessing or answer to prayer, do I thank Him?