Be a Noble-Minded Student of the Word

I recently finished re-watching Downton Abbey, experiencing again the ups and downs of the Crawley family as they learn to adapt to the post-war world. For six seasons (or series, if you’re British like the Crawleys), Downton helped ratings on PBS soar. An Emmy magnet, the show garnered fifteen awards and many more nominations for … Continue reading Be a Noble-Minded Student of the Word →

A Conduit of God’s Blessings

In casting our cares upon the Lord, we often ask that He give grace or comfort or strength to a person in need. Or we might ask those things for ourselves. These are good, biblical requests. However, I wonder if we stop and think about where the answer might come from. God may use the … Continue reading A Conduit of God’s Blessings →

Teach Me Your Statutes!

As a teacher of high schoolers for over a decade, I saw many responses from students as I did my best to teach them the finer points of the English language. Some checked out to some other planet in their brain; some fell asleep; some listened begrudgingly; and some blessed students looked like they were … Continue reading Teach Me Your Statutes! →

Afflicted in Faithfulness

Pardon for sin, and a peace that endureth,Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow:Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Great is Thy faithfulness! Twentieth century poet, Thomas Chisolm, who penned these beloved words, reminds us of just a handful of the blessings believers enjoy because … Continue reading Afflicted in Faithfulness →

Are You Living as a Citizen of Heaven?

Every flag hangs at half-staff as a constant reminder of the fractured state of our nation. For the first time in our nation's history, a President has been impeached twice. Tomorrow the world will watch as we inaugurate a new President who will face a set of challenges unlike anything since Reconstruction. In the past … Continue reading Are You Living as a Citizen of Heaven? →

Not a One-Trick Pony: Part 3

Football season is upon us, which actually makes me pretty happy (Go, Pack, Go!). While this might put me in the minority among women, I enjoy watching grown men clobber one another over a hunk of leather (though when I put it like that, it somehow seems less inviting). Although I probably have a better … Continue reading Not a One-Trick Pony: Part 3 →

Not a One-Trick Pony: Part 2

We’re in the middle of a series on one of my favorite passages of Scripture, Psalm 119. I contended before that when we think of this psalm as merely Scripture talking about itself, we sell it short. This masterpiece of Hebrew poetry teems with treasures beyond the “famous” verses like, “Thy Word have I hid … Continue reading Not a One-Trick Pony: Part 2 →

Not a One-Trick Pony

I’ve always loved trivia of all kinds (What’s sweeter than answering Final Jeopardy correctly?), but as a kid, I especially loved Bible trivia. I know the shortest verse (John 11:35), the longest verse (Esther 8:9), the names of all 12 disciples (Philip, Thomas, Matthew, James, John, Simon Peter, Andrew, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, … Continue reading Not a One-Trick Pony →