Sensing God in Scripture
“A passage like “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord” (Ps. 19:1) becomes a passport to praise as we give God the credit for every marvelous star in the night sky. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8) takes on new gusto as we enjoy the good gifts he lavishes on us. Even the quietude of “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10) becomes to us a solid shelter when storms are raging. A well-developed biblical imagination cannot even see a seed planted in the ground without reflecting on the nature of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 13:31–32). Spiritual parallels are everywhere, particularly for a mind steeped in Scripture.” - Sensing God in Scripture by Scott James
Straight Outta Context
“As we read larger portions of Scripture more of the Bible’s context becomes available to us. However, we must be careful that we do not spend so much time investigating unnecessary or extra-biblical context that we miss the main point of a passage. We can fall victim to chasing cross references and studying Bible maps and charts and learning about leprous diseases until we lose the main point of a passage. Or even worse, we can lose real communion with the Lord by allowing all the fact-finding to derail our study. We must remember that studying the Bible is primarily a spiritual exercise that uses the intellect. It is not primarily an intellectual exercise cloaked in spirituality.” - Straight Outta Context by Kristie Anyabwile
Teaching Our Children to Read God's Word
“The story of the Bible has a familiar “scent” to it. But to smell the centrality of God in all of Scripture takes time and attentiveness. It’s a learned perspective, one that we can pass on from generation to generation as we teach our children to study God’s Word. The more our children saturate in the Bible, the more the story of redemption will seep into their pores.” - Teaching Our Children to Read God's Word by Chris Ammen
The Gospel-Heart of Hospitality
“We live in a world that values performative hospitality. Magazine spreads show beautifully-laid tables with place cards and breathtaking floral arrangements. We see influencers with living rooms full of luxurious pillows, vacuumed floors, and art hung by interior designers, making us immediately insecure about our toy-scattered floors and smeared windows. We know the Bible calls us to “offer hospitality without grumbling,” (1 Peter 4:9), but we look around our own house and it’s a far cry from a magazine spread. How do we follow the encouragement to offer hospitality when our reality looks so messy?“ - The Gospel-Heart of Hospitality by Elizabeth Santelmann
When Intrusive Thoughts Keep Intruding
“Because we all live with a nature warped by sin, we all fight intrusive thoughts. From aggressive insecurities, to catastrophic fears, to disturbing mental images, intrusive thoughts can take many forms. Sometimes we can banish unwanted thoughts as easily as swatting flies. But there are other times, perhaps more frequent, when the door to our mind keeps violently banging open. As followers of Jesus endowed with the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16), what can we do when intrusive thoughts keep intruding?” - When Intrusive Thoughts Keep Intruding by Erin Davis
I Want to be a Christian, but There’s One Thing
“I wanted to be a Christian, but I wasn’t going to let my girlfriend go. That was my one non-negotiable. Surely, there was a way around that. Surely, God really didn’t care about who I was attracted to, who I married, who I loved. Right?” - I Want to be a Christian, but There’s One Thing by K. Price
Help! I'm Trapped in My Insecurities!
“If we can see each other we can say hello, we can make a new friend, we can have a funny conversation about Colossians or Kingsolver or Costco. We can let the stifling air squelch out like an untied balloon, flying out of our fingertips until it flops to the ground, deflated and powerless, no longer trying to lead the way. De-weaponized awkward balloons make way for something else to lead the way: like truth.” - Help! I'm Trapped in My Insecurities! by Holly Mackle
Three Pitfalls When Life is Hard
“It’s easy to equate our ease and comfort as God’s love for us, and our pain and suffering as his punishment or indifference. But his love is not dictated by the circumstances around us, it’s dictated by the truth that he loved us when we hated him, died for us while we mocked him, and pursued us while we were determined to go our own way. When we face painful circumstances, even the ones that seem senseless, we need to constantly remind ourselves of God’s steadfast love toward us. When we can’t understand his ways, we can trust his character.” - Three Pitfalls When Life is Hard, by Sarah Walton
Honoring Your Mother-In-Law
“Showing honor to the woman who raised our husband, who nourished him with daily meals, drove him to countless practices and cares so deeply about him, is actually a way to love our husband. If our husband constantly hears us complaining about something his mom did, tension can build in both the marriage and the relationship with his parents. How can we seek to show honor to our mother-in-law, even in the midst of a difficult relationship?” - Honoring the Other Mother In Your Life, by Stacy Reaoch
The Feast of Obedience
“As believers in Christ, we don’t need to chase after the things the world chases, even basic provision (Matt. 6:33). We don’t have to buy into the lie of scarcity when we have an abundant Father. We don’t have to determine our day by the amount of energy in our tanks, for we know that if God is calling us to something, he will give us all we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).” - The Feast of Obedience, by Aimee Joseph
Charles and Susie: Faith in the Midst of Pain
“Charles and Susie’s spirituality served as the foundation that kept them buttressed amidst their many sufferings. They prayed. They read their Bibles. They worshiped God. They sang. They labored in the Lord’s service. They loved one another well. They died with hope. Charles and Susie faced death’s cold stare by praising God. Such is the way they approached every trial along the way.” - Charles and Susie: Faith in the Midst of Pain, by Ray Rhodes
Jesus and Our Words: How Knowing Jesus Transforms Our Speech
“When Christ ascended to heaven, his work on earth continued. Since the day the Spirit was given on Pentecost, Jesus has actively built his Church with the witness—the words—of his followers. As they have proclaimed the gospel and explained the Scriptures, the Church has grown. Even now, Jesus is building his Church as his people speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15-16). But you may wonder, “How is it possible that my words could be useful for the building of the Church? How can my conversations contribute to the body of Christ?”” - Jesus and Our Words: How Knowing Jesus Transforms Our Speech by Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser
Giving or Grabbing the Glory: Fighting Self-Righteousness by Remembering What God Has Done
“Remember what the Lord has done! As an unbeliever I was as selfish as they come, looking only to my needs and desires. I would calculate how to exert minimal effort for maximum gain in nearly every circumstance. Then Jesus changed it all. So the minute-by-minute giving of my time and energy in motherhood, imperfect as it is, is truly and utterly miraculous. I can delight in laying aside “self-care” for the constant care of my six children knowing that Jesus did that! To God be all the glory.” - Giving or Grabbing the Glory, by Janaye Atkinson
Communion with God Through Ordinary Means
“To communicate his grace to us, God has likewise given us means of grace: the preaching of the Word, the Lord’s Supper, and baptism. When I was growing up, I wanted new and flashy ways to grow in my relationship with God. I wanted a fresh word and a new outpouring in my life. Yet God has chosen something much more ordinary—a preacher with a Bible, bread and wine, and water.” - Communion with God Through Ordinary Means, by Lara d'Entremont
Covenant, Not Contract
“Behind the question “What is God's will and purpose for my life?” is sometimes a subtle selfishness. We often ask the question not as a servant waiting to be sent, but as a master demanding to know. Instead of rejoicing, we get impatient and envious when we watch God raising other people up to do his work. Instead of waiting upon the Lord as our hope in life and death, we wait upon the “great work” we will do to bring meaning and importance to our lives. So, in perpetually crying, “Use me!”, we make our own significance, fulfillment, and legacy the center of our prayers.” - Covenant, Not Contract, by Irene Sun
Why and How Do We Study God’s Word?
“God wants you to know him. He has made this possible by revealing himself in Scripture. When you are diligent to prioritize his Word, he is faithful to meet you there. So know that however you choose to read God’s Word this year, if you approach it humbly, seeking to know and love God more, then by his grace and by the power of his Spirit, his Word is able to shape, grow, and change you.” - Why and How Do We Study God’s Word?, by Lauren Bowerman
Follow The One Who Is Trustworthy
"By God’s grace, we can become women who experience the pressure points of confusion and uncertainty yet continue to bless the Lord and those around us with our words and our service. We can grapple with our next steps and seek practical guidance yet remember the Spirit is our true Counselor. We can bear witness to suffering and grieve it sincerely yet remain joyful in God’s promises to be with us now and to restore all things in eternity.” - Follow the One Who is Trustworthy, by Mallory Manning
Single, But Not Alone
"When our churches and friends fail us, when we face temptation, when rejection breaks our hearts, Jesus—himself a single man—identifies with our suffering (Isa. 53:3-4; Heb. 4:14-16). When we feel alone, are tempted towards despair, or look for salvation in something other than Jesus, the Holy Spirit reminds us of what is true (John 15:26-27). And when we question our worth, fear scarcity, cry out in lament, or humbly repent, the Father is ready and waiting to pour out his love and comfort (2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 3:14-21; 1 John 3:1-3).” - Single, But Not Alone, by Jenilyn Swett
Unbolted from My Love Affair with This World
“Over twenty five years later I am a credible witness to the grace and mercy of God and his power to transform a broken life into one filled with purpose, and even joy. Yet I don’t say this easily. Years of wrestling to reconcile God’s love with his sovereignty added to the exhaustion of grief. No doubt some of my words during those early years sounded heretical and struck fear into the hearts of trusted friends. But the Lord did not abandon me.” - Unbolted from My Love Affair with This World, by Sharon Betters
Advent and Remembrance: How Our Traditions Shape Us
“Our God makes very clear in the story of redemption that he is after our hearts and not our empty actions (1 Sam. 16:7, Prov. 21:2). This steady ground gives us breathtaking freedom to examine the why behind the practices and liturgical rhythms of our personal and communal Advent, holding our choices up to Scripture and asking ourselves whether or not these things are good and right and true, and meet our worship goals.” - Advent and Remembrance: How Our Traditions Shape Us, by Holly Mackle