Ever had one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? How about a week, or a month, or a year? Ever ask, “Why me?” Ever think God was dealing harshly with you? We need to stop and ask ourselves, “What is the main purpose of a Christian’s life?” 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us... Read More
Competing voices in Proverbs 6: Who is holding the microphone in your life?
It is never too late to turn to the call of truth and wisdom. Proverbs 6 presents us with competing voices—competing “truths.” This beautiful chapter reminds us that even if we get caught up in the world’s lies, we can still find freedom by trusting and submitting ourselves to God’s revealed truth. With the depth... Read More
Knowing God’s Character: 16 Verses to Strengthen Your Trust in God
Moms sometimes find themselves saying things they never expected. I remember being shocked when I had to tell our tiny-toddler firstborn, “No, we don’t play in the trash. We don’t eat things from the trash either.” I had to say this to her not once, but many times. I couldn’t understand how this was necessary.... Read More
Life Together: A Christian’s guide to good fellowship
For 15 years, my husband and I enjoyed a unique living situation while teaching in China. We lived in what was technically a guesthouse but was functionally a dormitory-style building in which we shared a kitchen and a living room with a dozen or so other teachers who had come to China for the same... Read More
Introducing a new prompted journal for Christian women
Do you long for real growth in your Christian walk and more clear evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life? We get impatient in line, angry with our kids, anxious about our circumstances. We long to find peace and contentment in Christ. We believe God’s word, but we struggle to daily cling... Read More
Psalms 77 & 78: Songs for cataloging God’s works
“A missionary’s life is in many ways a catalog of answers to prayer.” I read this sentence recently in an article written by Alan Patterson, a family member and a life-long mission worker. Its truth struck a chord, and I thought over the many, many ways that God provided for our family the 15 years... Read More
Psalm 23: We do not lack anything
“The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” Another way to say this is He provides everything I need. This week, I heard a sermon that explains Psalm 23 from the perspective of God’s provision for our deepest needs. It was such a good meditation on the psalm, and it corresponded to the theme... Read More
How can I pray for my country? (A scripture-focused prayer for government)
With Canadian elections coming soon, and American elections later this year, I was very thankful to hear this prayer for government, prayed recently by my friend Holly Williams. I asked her if it could be posted here in order for all of us to benefit from this pattern. When we are unsure how to pray... Read More
Proverbs 24: What do we learn from the field of the slothful?
When you see clear evidence of laziness, what goes through your mind? I love the response of wisdom in Proverbs 24—“I looked and received instruction.” These verses are so rich in their description of the process of laziness, its effects, and how we ought to respond. They are worth meditating on, especially at the beginning... Read More
Nurturing others in the faith: Love in action
Love for other people—Jesus commands this and tells us that it is the hallmark of our identity as his disciples (John 13:35). There are many words that the Bible uses for the ways we ought to demonstrate this love for others: edification, discipleship, teaching, service, ministry, giving. In a previous article, I wrote about how... Read More