Introduction Even though I have been reading the Psalms almost since the time I learned to read--and that, from a chunky, white King James Bible with yellow-orange edges--and even though I have turned to the Psalms again and again all my life in times of distress and grief, when I could scarcely still my beating heart long enough to hear the Lord's voice, I cannot recall ever reading all 31 Psalms of Book II in one sitting until this week. That in itself is one blessing fro

Only a boy named David; only a rippling brook; only a boy named David, but five little stones he took! In his best-selling book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell supports the intriguing thesis that misfits and underdogs turn the course of history. The viewpoint that has been rejected is, after all, frequently the right one, and the misfit who leans into his impending failure often reaps the reward of staking his all.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind dri

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind dri

A happy new year, like a gift leftover waiting to be opened, nestles snugly under those pinecones and plaid ribbons that escaped the great Christmas-put-away. And, with boxes to the basement, our former selves like decorations are set aside. We've changed. We may not think so, but we have. The new date dictates facts without consent, and time is not only a whole year older in a day, we're different. The blessed kiss of Christmas has touched our souls for the umpteenth time

A Gift Still to Be Opened The new year teases like a bright green package still waiting to be opened. What does it hold in store? We want a new beginning, but we don't want things to change. We pick up a blank journal, turning hope into history with a deep resolve to meet our destiny unafraid. Some people take Christmas with them, leaving up tiny twinkle lights all year. But what if we all kept candles burning out of holy expectation? A Revelation to Behold A revelat

" But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 Introduction One of the most beloved promises in the Bible, Isaiah 40:31 could very well also be one of the least-claimed. Most people don't like waiting, and, for some, waiting too long for anything brings out their true colors. Most of us think of waiting as a w

I don't hate this! I love it! This may seem like an odd list, for we aren’t supposed to hate anything, are we?  Oh, but that’s where we’re wrong.  Six things the Lord hates, yea, seven are an abomination to Him.  Seven, the perfect seven—the things to hate. ~   I hate pride, especially in myself.  I especially hate spiritual pride— the pride that keeps track of one’s own “good deeds” and spoils them all by announcing them and expecting something in return.  ~    I hate unf

Introduction How does one fallacy reproduce itself many times over? When Dallas Jenkins links stereotypes of Jesus with "statues and stained glass windows," he not only begs the question by basing his claim on untested assumptions, he creates a false analogy between stereotypes and stained glass windows, presumably to prejudice his audience in favor of his show. In this, he comes dangerously close to relying on the propaganda device known as dysphemism by linking something

Ever since I was a toddler, I have loved tiny containers— little plastic suitcases, wood boxes, and secret hideaway places like built-in closets and drawers.  I loved the little plastic farm and zoo animals at Ben Franklin’s and McCrory’s. I have always loved shells and even used to have dreams where I walked the beach and found hundreds of unique shells, which I collected in breathless ecstasy. ~ I loved collecting pictures of nature from old calendars and sometimes wrote li