Posted: December 8, 2022
Remember the rich young man who asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life? He was a good man who had kept all the commandments since he was a youth. We might say the rich young man had a “blessed” life. Some might even conclude that the one thing preceded the other—that
Continue Reading “Blessed: Part Two”
Category: Blog
Posted: December 1, 2022
Recently, I read the biographies of staff members at a particular church. Every minister included this fact: “God has blessed us with (fill in the blank with a number) children.” Which gave me pause. I have no children. Would it be proper to write in my bio that Mark and I are blessed with no
Category: Blog
Posted: November 24, 2022
TRUE STORY I called my favorite grocery store to place an order for lemon pepper chicken wings—my “go to” quick and easy dinner. I asked if they could have the wings ready at 4:30 and the man on the phone said, “No problem.” I arrived at 4:30, walked over to the counter and waited. And
Continue Reading “The Young Man Stared at Me Blankly”
Category: Blog
Posted: November 17, 2022
Paul wrote to Philemon about Onesimus and had this to say: “Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.” (1) You see, Onesimus was a thief and a runaway slave. He fled to escape sure punishment because he had stolen from his owner Philemon. And
Continue Reading “Becoming Useful”
Category: Blog
Posted: November 10, 2022
The book of Judges notes that Ehud was “a left-handed man” (1) and King “Eglon was a very fat man.” (2) Hmm. 🤔 These are strange details to note in scripture, don’t you think? 🧐 But as a writer, I know that if an author points out something incidental early in the story, it isn’t
Continue Reading “Incidental Details”
Category: Blog
Posted: November 3, 2022
First there was Moses to lead the Israelites. Then there was Joshua. After Joshua died, however, “the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” (1) The Israelites “abandoned the Lord, the God of their Fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other
Continue Reading “Deborah: The Conclusion”
Category: Blog
Posted: October 27, 2022
The Israelites battled the mighty Canaanites and beat them handily. What a great victory!! And here’s the back story. General Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army, gave the order for his 900 chariots to advance, watched them sink in the mud of the Kishon River, witnessed Barak attack his soldiers . . . and
Continue Reading “Not Exactly What I Was Expecting”
Category: Blog
Posted: October 20, 2022
Barak and Deborah led the Israelites into battle against a powerful Canaanite force that was armed and ready! The Canaanites’ main source of power were the 900 chariots, a squadron led by two warriors, an archer and a driver, and drawn by horses. The chariots were covered with armor and heavy metal, seemingly impenetrable. The
Continue Reading “Wait for the Lord”
Category: Blog
Posted: October 13, 2022
When Barak asked Deborah to assist him in leading the battle against General Sisera, she told him this: “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” (1) And the next thing
Continue Reading “This is the Day”
Category: Blog
Posted: October 6, 2022
When Barak told Deborah that he would not accept his mission without her assistance, she rallied to the opportunity. Good for her! She did not hesitate. She was not afraid because she knew God had promised them victory. But you know what? The victory was not magical. They would still have to fight! There would
Continue Reading “Playing Defense”
Category: Blog
