Let’s take a second look at asking. We have two children in college. One happily asks us to spring for things. The other often pays her own way, even for expenses we would gladly cover. I know she wants to be independent, but she’s trying to cover expenses for which we’ve already made provision. So,…

My husband and two of my boys have a unique gifting. They ask—and people respond. I’ve seen them snag more discounts, free stuff, perks, and promotional items simply because they asked. Still hesitant? Ever wonder what people in Scripture asked God for? Let’s take a look: Advice: “ . . . so David inquired of the Lord,…

Thick and durable, the curtain stood guard. Threads of red, purple, and blue chased each other as they wove an angelic pattern that hinted at the cherubim on the ark of the covenant behind it. As wide as a first down and twice as long, the curtain separated sacred from sinful. Ethereal from earthly. Holiness…

My kids have started school and so have I. Summer temps still hover—and will for another month, but a new season has arrived. Before we find ourselves drowning in the new activity of the fall, let’s take some time and explore what God has for each of us this season. Walk with me through Ecclesiastes…

Recently a friend asked for prayer. She’s working on her masters and knew an internship was part of the degree plan. What she didn’t know was that she had two weeks to find one! She confessed her stress and asked for prayer. This comment sprang from my mouth, “God created the world in six days.…

In the Old Testament blessing, God illustrates His love for us while giving us a powerful tool to impart unconditional love to our own families. My husband and I often give this blessing when a new season of life occurs. A new school year. A transition, perhaps from high school to college or from school…

Worldbuilding. It’s used by fiction writers to create a specific setting. Think of “a galaxy far, far way” in Star Wars, the Shire in Lord of the Rings, or Panem in The Hunger Games. Nadeem Kazi gives this a twist. Words. We don’t associate them with our world. Sometimes they gush like water from a fire…

“Worship the LORD in holy attire.” Psalm 96:9 NASB In Scripture, holy attire meant linen. Priestly garments were made from linen. God knew what He was doing because nothing outperforms linen when it comes to strength, luster, and durability. Stain resistant, linen gets softer with each washing and handles moisture well. Linen also: Filters chemical exposure,…

From the 26th floor of the office building, I gazed at the DFW skyline. A patchwork quilt of prairie and urban sprawl covered the ground below. The dusky sky deepened to indigo and the lights of the city switched on like a Lite-Brite board. Neon signs, office buildings with after-hour workers, skyscrapers outlined in yellow highlighting. The…

Blameless. Without fault. Beyond reproach. And music to my ears. My daughter shared a book from her psychology class with me: The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile. The book explores the Enneagram (pictured above), an ancient personality type system. Uniquely, the authors tie this personality system to a person’s spiritual…