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Deception. We don’t know it’s got us until it’s too late. We’re left feeling duped, shamed, and a little foolish. Deception ambushes us from all angles. From within and from without. Within:                                                            Without: Heart (Jer. 17:9)                                              Wealth (Mark 4:18-19) Pride (1 Cor. 3:18)                        …

As we slog through the election season, the constant barrage of negativity beats me down. And it’s contagious. I’ve been reading about Catherine Marshall (author of Christy), and she related a story of when God told her to fast from criticism for one day. Her instructions? No criticizing anybody about anything. I won’t spoil it…

“Joseph, he of Arimathea, noble and honorable in rank and a respected member of the council (Sanhedrin), who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, daring the consequences, took courage and ventured to go to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43 AMPC) Joseph of Arimathea. Unlikely character for the Easter…

My sister is my parents’ favorite. Not ready for parenthood when I arrived, seven years later they were more settled. Amy, whose name means “beloved,” was welcomed with open arms. Yet, when the two of us talk, she says I was the favorite. Comparison is a killer especially between siblings. Sadly, we see it in…

Group dates. Purity rings. We parents make a concerted effort to teach our kids to do it God’s way when it comes to intimacy. God elevates the status of physical intimacy by protecting its sanctity with the guardrails of chastity and marriage. Because intimacy is dirty? No, because it is precious. In the little Old…

I recently attended a benefit concert with my daughter. She was checking out a modern dance company, and I tagged along. One of the dance numbers was a ballet solo. The ballerina looked like a body builder. Her muscles were so defined, I was distracted from her performance. I asked my daughter about it afterward.…

Eye exams. They’re getting harder. It’s not like anyone’s changed the questions, but every year, the letters shrink. I look through the lenses. Which is better? One? Or two? With each click, my vision moves from blurry to clear. Fuzzy to focused. In 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath, God’s conducting a…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a NIV) “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15) Fruit can be deceiving. Vegetables—not so much. I don’t…

Abide. What does that word mean to you? Merriam-Webster defines abide as: To accept or bear To stay or live somewhere To remain or continue Stay with me, because it was the synonyms and antonyms that caught my attention. Synonyms: stay, dwell, hang around, remain, stick around, tarry Antonyms: bail, bail out, bug out, buzz…

Whether we’re searching Pinterest for our Valentine ideas or doing a last minute swing by the local grocery store, Valentine’s Day is on the brain. Cards, candy, and flowers for the mental list of kids, moms, and special someones. But what’s God getting this year? Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages hit the press in…