Engage
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The Greatest Donor
Last summer’s TV reruns lasted much longer because of the actor’s strike. To view something unseen, I watched several episodes of the old show, Monk. A program I never watched when it first ran. Usually, this drama comedy stays on the lighter side of life. However, the poignant scene I’m about to describe to you touched my life in a way I will never forget. The episode begins with Monk walking down a crowded sidewalk in the city. He bumps into a woman, turns to her, they exchange glances, and apologize to one another. Though Monk remains fixed on the woman who continues down the street. Feeling compelled, he pursues…
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Lingering
Linger means to be slow in parting or in quitting something and tarry means to linger in expectation. These 2 words have taken on new and impacting significance to me lately. I was impressed how Mary Magdalene saw the Lord as she lingered at the tomb (John 20:11-18). Mary not only saw the risen Lord, but she was sent on the crucial mission to go tell the disciples. Mary’s lingering at Jesus’s tomb brought new insights and joy to her soul. John provides another example of someone who lingered. It seems that John wrote the Gospel of John; 1, 2, 3 John; and Revelation in the 90’s A.D. Which means…
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It Matters Who Your Mama Is
The Lord has allowed me to be a mother for almost 50 years. Knowing how so many struggle with infertility, I am truly grateful. And my heart’s desire from the first day was that I would be a godly mother, passing along a love for the Lord and His Word to my children. That would be my legacy that they would remember when I go to be with Jesus. I know from experience that it matters who your mama is. The Legacy of a Godly Mama My mama loved Jesus and His people. She jumped in to serve in her local church wherever she was needed — nursery coordinator, Sunday School director,…
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My Grid, Your Grid, We’ve All Got a Grid
Ever seen drawings of the ancient goddess Artemis? If so, she was likely carrying a bow and arrow. More recent iterations of her as Diana/Wonder Woman still depict her that way—with shield, bow, and arrow. Ancient literature includes many references to Artemis as a master of archery. (And make no mistake—Artemis was as likely to shoot at females as males.) We see similar descriptions of her in the epigraphic (inscription) evidence. In the ruins of ancient Ephesus, her natal city near what today is Kuşadasi, Turkey, archaeologists discovered “The Oracle Inscription.” In it Artemis is described using a variety of archery terms: “Artemis of the golden quiver,” “shooter of arrows,”…
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On Elisabeth Elliot and the Hidden Realities of our Mentors
“I want to be like Elisabeth Elliot,” I told my mother. I had just graduated from college and was contemplating my next steps. I picked Elliot because she was the only example I knew of a woman speaking publicly in my faith circles. “Really?” Mom’s eyebrow raised. “Then you need a story to tell like hers. Do you want to go as a missionary to an unchartered area, lose your husband to the spear of a tribesman, raise a daughter alone, labor in a village to share the gospel as a single mom? Then finally get married again, only to lose that husband to cancer and experience widowhood a second…
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Experiencing Shabbat
One of the things my husband and I enjoy is occasionally traveling to Israel, as we both have a keen interest in biblical and church history. During these times we explore sites, museums and restaurants that one doesn’t ordinarily visit when with a tour group. These experiences have greatly enriched our appreciation for our Christian heritage and for the fascinating and complex world of the Middle East. During these trips we have become close friends with an Israeli Jewish family, Zalle and Tamar. They have a twenty-five year old son, Dan-El, who is currently serving in the Army (as all young adults do at that age). It is…
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Must a Wife Stand, Wear, and Do What Her Husband Tells Her to Do?
Where should we go on date night? What extracurricular activities should our child participate in? Which toilet paper brand is preferable? Who will pay the bills? Week in and week out, husbands and wives must make many decisions. When they disagree, who has the final say? In a recent sermon, megachurch pastor Josh Howerton instructed the women in his church that on a bride’s wedding night, she should “stand where he [husband] tells you to stand, wear what he tells you to wear, and do what he tells you to do.” What does the Bible say about the final say in marriage?
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Bottling Civility: Talking Tough Topics with Your Church Family
As iron sharpens iron,so a person sharpens his friend. Prov. 27:17 (NET) When I first posted this blog in 2017, I had no idea how much more polarization could impact our culture. So, I am posting an updated version in hopes that you and your church family can communicate in a God-honoring way. I have frequently found myself in conversations where I disagreed with members of my church family. To my surprise and theirs, even when presented with the same issue or topic, we have come to different conclusions. I believe the ingredients to talking respectfully with your church family are similar to the ones that foster civility in your…
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All the Genealogies of the Bible: A fascinating author interview
Today I’m happy to introduce you to the work of Dr. Nancy S. Dawson, author of All the Genealogies of the Bible (Zondervan Academic). The book is a new, wonderful reference work that released this past fall. Here’s an interview I did with her: SG: Dr. Dawson, I love all the genealogical charts and commentary you’ve given readers that cover the figures of both Old and New Testaments. It’s a thick, hardback book. It must have taken years! How did this project come about? ND: My background is in the sciences—an M.S. in botany/plant taxonomy and a PhD in cell biology. After several faculty appointments, our family moved to North Carolina. There, I had…
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Can Christians be afraid?
Like any good social media user, I recently sat as a fly on the wall of an internet debate regarding how God treats fear. I “listened” as people passionately argued that fear is simply something we shouldn’t do. The conversation began because a popular Christian author suggested that it is okay to be afraid, going on to say that God will be with us in our emotions. The thread continued for quite some time, working to solidify the idea that as believers we simply aren’t supposed to be afraid, and when you are, you are out of line with scripture. I am sensitive to shame in the Christian culture…
