A Hammer and Sword
Every time I read through the Bible, I linger over Nehemiah. In part because of a lesson learned at the Euro-American retreat that changed how I saw this passage, but also because the remnant of Israel faced great opposition with little (worldly) hope of overcoming. By the world’s standards,...
In the Garden
If you are anything like me, the minute you read the title, a song comes to mind. This song plays in my head as I work in our small garden, along with a reel of memories of my Grandpa’s garden (which was almost his whole yard). I don’t have...
Living Arrows: Straight Shooting
I recently stumbled across another link-up that has inspired a rabbit trail of extra reading and research, though admittedly, part of it was accidental. On Sunday evening, the lesson was from Psalm 122, one of the songs of ascent. These songs were sung on the journey to the temple...
Teaching the Children: Leadership
Looking at the present circumstances often leaves us feeling concerned about the future. We have great responsibility to make tomorrow better than today, starting in our home....
Groaning Wisdom
Sometimes, a verse in my daily Bible reading grabs me and holds on for a while. Often, it is a verse I've skimmed over in previous readings....
Expectant Anticipation
Every Sunday, we gather with other believers to worship. We sing together to both praise our Creator and Savior and edify one another. We pray together. We study scripture together. We offer contribution to continue the work of the congregation. Most importantly, we share in the death, burial, and...
The most important lessons
As a homeschooler, the days are filled with learning. Some lessons have more formality than others. Even during the summer, I encourage my kids to read every day and learn at least one new thing. Not all lessons fall under “reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic.” In fact, many of our...
Lighthouses, Lifeboats, and Wavemakers
Many years ago, someone gave my family a cassette tape of an acapella group. My dad enjoyed the message of one song in particular: The Lighthouse. (you can click to listen). The song compares Jesus to a lighthouse, bringing people to salvation. The imagery is beautiful. However, scripture also...
God knows
My God knows grief and loss.My God knows pain, hunger, and loneliness.My God knows anger, frustration, and desperation. My God knows the value of friendship. My God knows family struggles. My God knows joy and laughter. My God knows patience and kindness. My God knows empathy and love. As...
True Worship
Today, for the first time since March 15, we worshiped at the church building. However, we never “quit church” or “stopped worshiping.” For a couple of weeks, we worshiped via YouTube from our couch. After that, we started gathering with a group of friends, sharing a time of worship...