by Christine Litavsky | Aug 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
One of the many beautiful things about our Bible is its persistent inclusion of women. From Eve on, we understand clearly that our God created us, used us, and continues to use us to tell his story. We matter to him—so much so that Jesus took special pains to...
by Elizabeth Turnage | Aug 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. (Ruth 1:20, NLT) First, a famine sent her small family into exile in a foreign land. Then her husband died. Then her two sons married unbelieving women. Then her two sons died. Naomi knew something about...
by Heather Creekmore | Aug 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
To me it’s the meanest verse in the whole Bible: Genesis 29:17. “Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.” Some scholars have tried to write it off—to interpret Leah’s weak eyes as something different than a beauty deficiency. But to me...
by Ronne Rock | Aug 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
GET TO KNOW THE STORY: Mary, the mother of Jesus, was at a wedding feast in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited and were there. When the wine was all gone, Mary said to Jesus, “They don’t have any more wine.” Jesus replied,...
by Robin Dance | Aug 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
Despite the chaos and uncertainties 2020 has brought with her, we’re still in a hopeful and notable era when women are increasingly valued, heard, and esteemed. There’s movement both in our country and in the Church, and even if more tortoise-like than hare, progress...
by Heather MacLaren Johnson | Jun 1, 2020 | Spiritual Growth
A woman in her late 20s walks into my office for the first time and sits down on my gray couch, a painting of white birch trees behind her reminding me of the peeling bark we all have revealing the rawness of our souls. Her thick, raven-black hair cascades below her...
