Recently I’ve thought a lot about the Apostle Peter’s instructions to Christian believers to “in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect. . . ” (1 Peter 3:15-16, BSB). Peter tells us to be ready to answer, and I’ve always thought I could do that: I know what I believe and why, and have studied resources about why biblical creation is t

While I’ll admit to having had a few good laughs about the sarcastic nuances of “Bless your heart,” it’s also a good reminder to make sure people know when we’re joking and when we really do want to convey sympathy.

As election time nears, I’ve been reflecting on parallels between biblical history and what we see around us in our nation and communities. The prophet Zephaniah warns of God’s judgment coming to Israel/Judah because their national and spiritual leaders have bowed to multiple gods, referring to “those who bow down and swear by the Lord, but also swear by [a false god], and those who turn back from following the Lord, neither seeking the Lord nor inquiring of Him” (1:5-6, B

Meanwhile, my husband is trying to snatch a few more z-z-z-z-z’s after staying up late to finish a project, then trying to figure out what day it is and what planet he’s on, so he can get organized for the day’s responsibilities.

Has anyone noticed how often the Bible speaks of patience or of waiting, which is usually something none of us really enjoy? I have previously mentioned my admiration for Mister Rogers of children’s TV fame, especially how he intentionally kept the show at a slower pace, allowing children time to process information and develop patience; he even sang a little song called “Let’s Think of Something to Do While We’re Waiting.” Most recently, I’ve noticed the theme in the mino

That passage took on new meaning this week as I tuned in to a special update from Iran Alive Ministries, a Christian ministry that shares the gospel via satellite in Iran and provides encouragement and support for Christians there

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