Recently, a friend of mine wrote about a conversation he’d had with someone who worked as a cashier, and he was saddened to hear just how badly most people treat staff at grocery stores and in the service industry in general. I think it can be hard to live out the truth of the Bible... Read More
In loss and lockdown, God is our refuge
I love the song, “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” I especially like the verse that says, “Here I raise my Ebenezer.” I love the original text, but I know it can be confusing for those of us who love Christmas Carol and are going to be distracted thinking about Ebenezer Scrooge instead of the... Read More
“That the next generation might know”: The benefits of teaching God’s word
Tiny toddlers with runny noses, rambunctious primary students, awkward adolescents, and apprehensive teens—our churches and our lives are full of young people. They are a joyful and important part of daily work for many of us. Some of us have the chance to avoid them, but we should instead be reaching out to them in... Read More
Redeeming Social Media: 3 Questions to Ask Ourselves as We Scroll
Staring down at our phones, stroking the screens as we scroll up through unending information and pictures. Social media has a strong hold on many of our lives. Can it be used in a way that honors God with the strengths it brings and avoids the pitfalls? I have argued for how we can use... Read More
Proverbs 6: You are not alone in your battle with temptation
What temptations have you faced already today? Anger? Pride? Dishonesty? Lust? Laziness? Proverbs is ready to help us wisely face these with warnings as well as assurance that we are not alone. Proverbs 6 is a list of various temptations that we will face and warnings not to fall prey to them. The warnings include... Read More
Psalm 15: A song of what we want to be
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption... Read More
Proverbs 27: How to keep friends and be influenced by (the right) people
“Life is presented in Proverbs as a journey in which we are constantly faced with a choice between two paths: wisdom and folly. We need good friends who will travel with us, help us discern the right road to take and spur us on to keep walking down it. Such companions will immeasurably strengthen us.”... Read More
What books can help with anger problems?
Anger is a complex emotion. If we have problems with anger, it can be explosive and obvious, but then at other times it can be so subtle that we can deny its existence in our hearts. Sometimes it can seem necessary. We can justify it at times because it’s triggered by sin or injustice. We... Read More
Solutions for the Proverbs 21 Woman
If you search for the word “better” in Proverbs, you get a plethora of rich verses that help us reorient our values. They are typically verses along these lines: A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22:1 But there is a group of verses... Read More
When was the last time you thanked God for your body?
Some estimates suggest that we spend on average between 20 and 40 minutes per day in front of a mirror. Regardless of where you fall in that range, have you ever stopped to notice what kinds of thoughts are running through your mind during those times? Rushing through personal hygiene routines probably isn’t a natural... Read More