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
What should we do when someone rebukes us? Two principles from Proverbs 15 to help us respond and grow
I love new notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils. I love chalkboards and textbooks. School has been a part of my life in one form or another for nearly 40 years. But there is one thing I don’t love about education: testing. I never liked taking tests as a student, and, as a teacher, I hated... Read More
A new Proverbs journal designed for meditation and creativity
I am excited to introduce you to a journal that I have published for the Proverbs Reading Challenge this year! It has several features to help you to meditate on the truths in Proverbs as you read it over the next several months! It’s available in many other countries as well! Here are the main... Read More
One Thing: The reason for “Abiding in Him”
The following post is simply a prayer (from The Valley of Vision*) and verses that have shaped my thinking about the most important thing I can do with my life. When we find ourselves at a fork in the road or a major transition, or when it’s just difficult to keep doing the thing that... Read More
A post for (very tired) moms of young children
If you lived in Shanghai from 2011 to 2018, you might have seen me on a crowded subway, standing out like a bright orange Cheeto on a beige living room carpet. With a stroller in front, another child or two in tow, and enough diapers and snacks for the day, we’d head into the city... Read More
A book for teaching children Psalm 23
Recently, I’ve been meditating on Psalm 23, and it’s been extremely comforting as we go through a time of grieving. Many of us memorized this psalm when we were children so that we could be prepared for such times. Have the children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews in your life memorized this psalm? I’d like to... Read More
Psalm 23: A song for facing death
This week, I cleaned out my mother-in-law’s office. It had been the room where we’d been placing all of her things from around the house, but this week we needed to clean it out and organize her things, storing them away in boxes until the family can go through them more carefully. I was thankful... Read More
Three Characteristics and Two Surprising Facts about the Virtuous Woman (or Excellent Wife)
The “Proverbs 31 Woman” can be both an inspiring and terrifying figure. We may read an individual verse of Proverbs 31, and say, “Yes! I want to be like that!” We may read the entire chapter and say, “Oh, that is just impossible!” For those of you who may be reading Proverbs for the first... Read More