After an angry roommate at the local nursing home where I visit turned down the ear shattering volume of her television, I was able to continue the weekly reading in the Gospel of Luke with my new 94 year old sister in Christ. Reading the Bible to this frail but spunky woman is a bit like reading to a child due to her apparent dementia, and so the progress is slow and with much explanation and discussion. We came upon a simple statement in Luke 6:12: "Jesus went out into t

In preparation for speaking at a church retreat, I studied the Scriptures regarding the work of the Holy Spirit and tried to put into practice my understanding of what I learned. An intriguing concept emerged. The Bible speaks of life with the Spirit as being a walk. The King James Version says in Romans 8:4 that Jesus met the requirements of the law so that we can walk, not after the flesh but after the Spirit. The NIV uses the word “live” instead of walk, but the origi

This morning I relished the developing plot of my latest Christian novel as I ate my traditional bowl of granola for breakfast. My interest piqued when the characters turned to a discussion on truth, which has recently been a topic of interest in our family, as discussions on the nature of truth seem to be cropping up in many a movie of late. I, therefore, read on with keen interest. Not surprisingly, the secular character argued that each generation should determine what

How many times a day do you suppose you say the word, "stress" or hear it used? Even small children banter the word about as readily as any adult. However, as a child, I don't believe I even knew of the word's existence (and I'm not that old). Sure, we all now know in our enlightened age that stress has a negative effect on our bodies, but I'd bet that you're not aware of some key details that science has revealed of late about what seems to be the overarching root of stre

A new day dawns and the familiar routine begins in assisting my husband in getting out the door, fed and prepared for another day of work. With a kiss, he's off, and then I'm free to privately indulge my longing to spend time over a cup of coffee with the other love of my life. Nestled into my comfy recliner with a view of birds and flowers out my window, I settle in to spend time with the lover of my soul. This is the time I live for. I'm always amazed, as I listen and con

What would Jesus do? This common & ever popular question gets bantered around among Christians with little actual awareness of what Jesus was actually like. When we see blatant sin among supposed Christians, are we to respond with meekness and love? Is that what Jesus did? When He encountered people who considered themselves righteous profaning His Father's house with a selfish pursuit of profit rather than worship, what did Jesus do? (John 2:12-17) When He encountered

​ ​Do you ever have days when the good that you do appears pointless and oh, so tiresome? A day when cooking yet another meal for your family that will be eaten and quickly forgotten seems bothersome? A day when devoting all of your time and energy to raising children who press ever-forward in their willful ways exhausts you to your core? A day when caring for an elderly parent who tries your patience at every turn leaves you seriously contemplating any other alternative?

Don't you just love when you get to learn some new gem from Scripture that adds richness to your understanding? Today, Palm Sunday, we remember the triumphal entry of Jesus, the long-awaited messiah into Jerusalem just days before He would die for the sins of the world. The passages surrounding this period seem so familiar to many of us who have numerous Easters under our belt that it's a surprise when we gain new insight. However, I was pleasantly surprised, when I learne

Much interest exists today in end-times prophecy and rightfully so. From blood moons to the on-going crisis in the Middle East, to numerous other current events, much discussion persists on what points to Scripture's long ago foretold end-times prophecies. This is as it should be. However, when was the last time you heard a sermon on or read an article on the countless, previously fulfilled prophecies that deal with something other than Jesus? The Old Testament is chock-f

Have you ever been hurting; I mean really hurting, and God’s Word and other’s remarks, kind and true as they might be seemed hollow? I certainly have. When I was falsely accused of child abuse, I heard and received notes with the typical, Christian platitudes, from well-meaning people wanting to encourage me. Sadly though, after my son was taken away, I was terribly angry at God. I quit reading his Word and was, therefore, no longer open to God's words of love and comfort