“Why is belief a virtue?” A friend struggling with their faith once asked me. “There’s no merit in believing Santa Claus exists.” In the moment, her question stumped me because she was absolutely right. Believing in something naively – especially if it turns out to be false – isn’t noble or admirable. It’s pitiable. I think that’s what many people think Christians are doing when we talk about believing in Jesus.
Read MoreWho are you? Have you ever taken a second and truly thought on this? What are some of your first answers that come to mind? Like many others, you may think of your role in your family, your career, your role in friendships, your gender, and your role in church.
Read MoreOnly when we have the eternal perspective and the blessed hope of Heaven will we be able to navigate through life’s inevitable heartbreaks and heartaches successfully. Jesus said to a group of anxiety-ridden and heartbroken disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled...In My Father’s house are many mansions...I go to prepare a place for you!” (John 14:2). He would say the same to you in your days of difficulty. I know, for that’s what He spoke to me as I experienced several friends and family taken home to Heaven.
Read MoreIn a way, this week’s passage is the climax Paul has been building up to. Chapter after chapter, Paul tries to get the reader to understand God is righteous but none of us are righteous; that the law makes sinners out of all of us. And honestly, it feels like a hopeless cause, a dead end, like we’re all doomed. “But” - that one word turns the tide. It’s the first word in verse 21 that transitions from Paul’s earlier point to this week’s lesson: how an unrighteous person can get access to the righteousness of God through faith.
Read MoreA law will change everything. Planned Parenthood is the only place that helps pregnant women. Roe v. Wade will be overturned and all abortions will magically end. Did you know that according to current statistics there would still be 1,000,000 abortions per year if Roe v. Wade was overturned? Did you know that more women would die due to home abortions?
Read MoreSpring has finally arrived, and it is time to spring clean our hearts. Springtime last year, COVID-19 brought a halt to our busy schedules and the world was forced to take a collective deep breath. We had no choice but to be still. It feels like the year has come and gone, and it has. Many of our projects lay half complete in our garages and our anxious hearts still lay in limbo. From lockdown to lockdown, second to third waves, we continually are given no choice but to face ourselves.
Read MoreOne of the things that I’ve done the most consistently during the past year is to go on walks. With gyms closed in the beginning of the pandemic, I first started walking around my neighborhood and have since moved on to walking in the beautiful greenways in my city.
Read MoreSingleness. That word can feel heavy. Talking about singleness evokes many emotions and opinions. Sometimes this world looks at singleness as some sort of rare and life-strangling disease that can only be cured by excessive dating. I cannot tell you how many times I’m told statements like “any new man in your life?” or “have you tried putting yourself out there?” or “you’re just too picky!”. These statements place a painful burden on singles that make us feel we are missing out on something and even worse, feelings as if God is holding out on us. I know the temptation to doubt God’s promises is dangerously entrapping, but singleness is not a problem to be fixed, but a blessing to be cherished.
Read MoreWhen Jesus opened the door for Gentiles to be numbered with the Jews as those who will one day receive an eternal inheritance, the New Testament Jews appeared to think they had a special advantage because they were Jewish. But in chapter 3, Paul attempts to level the playing field, reminding the Roman church that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners before God.
Read MoreAnother Valentine’s Day rolled around and I’m still on my own. And you know what? I’m okay. Not “okay” as in bitter and four cats away from being a grumpy old cat lady. Not “okay” as in hoping-if-I-am-okay-God-will-remind-me-with-a-boyfriend.
Read MoreSince I’m impatient with a pen in my hand, I have created my own flowy shorthand. It’s efficient and even fun to dash down a symbol and carry on. I particularly relish the swoops and loops of the ampersand I use in place of “and” in all my writing.
Read MoreValentine’s Day is just a day. It’s February 14th every year. It has 24 hours in it. The sun rises at the start of it and the sunsets at the end. We eat. We drink. We go about our lives. Valentine’s Day is just a day. The ‘day of love’ has passed us by yet again and still, there is something deeply ingrained in our concept of this day that leaves quite a lot of us feeling a little more ‘lovey dovey’ than usual.
Read MoreStanding on the shores of the Sea of Galilee I gazed out across the glasslike water. The surface was so still, it reminded me of a magnificent mirror. The calmness of the water ensured a near-perfect reflection of the surrounding Galilee mountains. I felt a holy hush settle gently as the peace of the scene surpassed the water’s edge and wrapped itself around me. I was no longer viewing a tranquil reflection, I had become it. The peace I perceived now sprang from within me.
Read MoreLegalism in religion is a tale as old as time. When Jesus walked this earth, he would often engage in discussions with religious leaders who very publicly spoke of just how good they were at following religious rules. But Jesus came preaching something new: being justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28).
Read MoreMary Elizabeth, Mary Elizabeth - the glue is new!?! The gleeful voice of a three year old calls from across the classroom.
Yeah, bud! It’s a new glue stick, I respond.
He holds it out to me, completely smitten with the new tool.
It’s red!
Preschoolers are a study in contrasts. They are full of energy and want to talk to their friends, stay completely engaged in everything that’s going on, and overhear every possible conversation. But their bodies need to recharge. These two opposite “needs” make naptime an interesting part of the day in a preschool classroom.
Read MoreFor many people, this past year brought changes no one saw coming: job loss, unexpected moves, heartbreak, sickness, and fears for the future. Maybe you’ve felt like me: gratitude for peace, family, and safety, but uncertainty about what the future holds. Even more than that, I’ve been feeling uncertain how to step forward in faith to what God has for me.
Read MoreChristmas is usually the time of year when we open our Bibles to the gospels and we read through the accounts of Jesus’ birth. Sometimes we read them quickly, taking in the flow of events that culminated in a baby’s cry. Sometimes we read them slowly, looking for the bits of gold that maybe we have never noticed before. Sometimes we read them purposefully, seeking to be quiet and to be at the feet of the Author of the Story, hoping to hear something.
Read MoreGrowing up, I had a friend who always noticed other people’s noses. The reason was simple: she hated her nose, and so the first thing she noticed about anyone she met is their nose (usually in the context of how much better their nose was than her own). It might be a silly example, but to me, it illustrates what Apostle Paul is trying to point out in this week’s passage: judging others for the very things we ourselves do.
Read MoreThroughout our college years and our twenties, my friends and I got together each year in February to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Not Valentine’s Day—Galentine’s Day.
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