God can and does use all things, even deadly pandemics like COVID-19, to bring about good things; beautiful things that give us renewed hope. Romans 8:28 states this truth clearly: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…
There’s a gradual uncoupling that occurs when a marriage comes to an end. Coworkers may notice the woman who begins more sentences with “I” than “We.” Invitations once accepted are now turned down. Churchgoers may notice that a previously coupled person now attends services alone. Chances are that by the time such things are noticed,…
Wedding Ceremonies usually happen in a church or with a minister. The celebratory union of two lives is blessed by God, sealed by vows, and witnessed by family and friends. In contrast, divorces happen in a courtroom with a judge. There is no blessing, a gavel seals, and few witnesses attend. Society’s exaltation of love…
When I got the email, it felt like a slap in the face. A cold, disembodied feeling stole over me. All I could say was, “Oh.” My husband and I had recently been embroiled in a debate with our church over the role of women in leadership. With his full support and blessing, I penned…
There are many different varieties of trees on our 120-acre homestead, along with crops and brush, a bit of pasture and a spring-fed creek that flows year round from a pond that never freezes over. And don’t get me talking about the diversity of wildlife that thrives in our woods and around the pond. From…
“Good morning!” I greeted a new family as they walked into our church lobby. “Hello!” They paused, and introductions continued. “Are you new in the area?” I asked. “Oh, no, we’ve been here nearly ten years. But we’re looking for a new church.” The wife lowered her voice and leaned toward me. “I helped with…
One of the most powerful and strategic ways God is at work right now building his church is not in any one location – it’s online. The constant access we have to everything offered online can be viewed negatively. The enemy is certainly using it for evil, particularly through the increase of internet pornography, public…
The women’s Bible study was the first I had joined since becoming a wife and a mom. I had those initial years of marriage stuffed under my belt: where the honeymoon period morphs together with the commitment we made before God—and in my case—before practically every member of the church where I grew up. Those…