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It’s finals time. As my college student takes his finals, here’s a quiz to test your biblical Christmas knowledge: How did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?a. Chariotb. Covered wagonc. Donkeyd. No one knows. Jesus was born in:a. The Bethlehem Innb. A stablec. A caved. A manger The angels told the shepherds to look for:a.…

Everything? Seriously? Who has that kind of time? However, not praying may cost us more time in the long run. In the Old Testament, Joshua learned the hard way. Twice. Ouch. Scenario 1: All’s well—or so we thought.  The Israelites had just come off a big win in Jericho. Woo-hoo! Big shout. Walls came down. Easy victory.…

Barbeque refers to an all-day cooking process resulting in smoky, juicy, fall-apart tender goodness. Yum. The key to good barbeque? Long. Slow. Heat. The same is true for patience.

The leather thongs bit his flesh. Lot stole a quick look from his one good eye, the other swollen shut from a soldier’s fist. His girls huddled near their mother, tears streaking through dust cast by the frenzied ride. Warriors strutted past, stroking the cheeks of his daughters. They smirked at him, laughing as his…

What does it mean to be my brother’s or sister’s keeper? The question takes me to Genesis 4. Cain had sinned. God encouraged him to repent. Instead, Cain vented his anger on his innocent brother Abel—and killed him.  God posed the question of Abel’s whereabouts to Cain who shrugged it off with another question, “Am…

Humble pie. It belongs next to my private chocolate stash because God says this is one dish best served—to myself. When someone serves humble pie to me, that’s humiliation. Not a tasty dish. Humility, however, is when I choose to be humble—and this pie hits God’s sweet spot.  “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that…

“Give thanks in all circumstances.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV Yes ma’am. No sir. Please. Thank you. If you were raised in the South, you learned these manners before you could walk. “Thank you” was imperative whether you received the best present ever or Aunt Ethel’s yearly gift of tidy whities. Which of us have never…

Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV If this verse gives you flashes of life in a monastery, relax. That said, one of the best practical examples of this verse was a seventeenth-century Carmelite monk named Brother Lawrence. He wrote the book, The Practice of the Presence of God.  Let’s explore some insights into the verse above: 1)…

“Be joyful always.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 NIV Joy. My intersections with this word tend to occur around December when Christmas carols move joy to the forefront. The rest of the year, my melancholy personality fights to find it. However, a recent writing project brought some joyful discoveries: Joy is commanded. “Be joyful always” is a command,…

Light. The older I get, the more I need. Whether I’m driving to a new place at night, reading small print on the back of a can, or digging a splinter out of my foot, I need light for direction, clarity, and exposure.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus previewed His departure and the…