Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Phil. 2:13-14 NIV) We all probably…
On Monday mornings, before I get dressed for work, you’ll find me wearing a T-shirt that says, “Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Repeat.” The words on my coffee mug express my mood: “I don’t feel very worky today.” (Yes, “worky” is found in several dictionaries, but you can’t use it in Scrabble.) Once I arrive at work,…
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Col. 3:2 ESV) There’s a common admonition among Christians, to “be in the world but not of the world,” but you may wonder what, exactly, this means. Does it mean we don’t engage the world, that we avoid anyone and…
Two years ago, an elder in our church taught a class on the book of Job. He’s also an oncologist, so he knows a thing or two about suffering. He has walked hard paths with his patients. All required endurance. His biblical insights combined with his life experiences brought new perspective to Job’s story. Currently,…
5:45 a.m. The alarm hasn’t even gone off, but I hear them fighting. Sigh. One peek in the mirror, and I know it’s going to be a hopeless hair day. Ugh. “Mom! Where are my clean clothes?” I haven’t even had coffee yet or rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Babe, did you remember that…
I am now in my forties. For many years, I said that while my “ideal self” gardened, my real self never did. I’m not sure exactly what held me up. A few moves, worries about critters eating stuff, and probably more than a little intimidation fueled by inexperience. But this year, I finally did it….