As believers, we are quick to say that God is love. We teach our children the song, Jesus Loves Me, at an early age. We share with others all the ways God has loved us, recounting answered prayers. We often talk about how Jesus reached out in love to sinners in Scripture and how he […]
Photo courtesy: Lisa Tarplee Photography Holidays are intended to be special times. They unite family and rekindle shared memories. They delight and bring joy. They give us reason to push pause on the everyday and celebrate a common joy. But for some, holidays are hard. Instead of joy, holidays only bring up painful memories. They […]
When I was in elementary school, each year before Valentine’s Day we would bring in an empty shoebox. We would cover those boxes with pink and red papers and heart shaped cut-outs, and then add our names in big, sparkly letters. When Valentine’s Day finally arrived, our classmates would drop cards into a slit cut […]
My heart is often fickle. One day I will sing praises to God about His wonders and grace. I’ll testify to everyone around me about what He has done and how He has answered my prayers. The next day, I’ll face unexpected challenges and uphill battles. Things don’t go my way. It’s one obstacle after another. I […]
I grew up going to church every week. I went to Sunday School, youth group, Vacation Bible School, and summer church camp. In high school, I went to a Christian school. In college, I went to a Christian college; the same for graduate school. In truth, I’ve heard the Bible over and over and learned […]
Photo courtesy: Lisa Tarplee Photography The Bible often uses the everyday experiences and common situations of life to teach us spiritual lessons. For example, God is compared to the agrarian image of a shepherd watching over his sheep. Scripture also uses the illustration of a husband who graciously seeks and redeems his wayward wife to […]