“One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong.” Do you remember this song from Sesame Street? A group of objects would appear on-screen, and we were asked to decipher which one was out of place. The answer was simple, but the ever-patient Bob McGrath would whistle through the jingle, giving our little eyes enough time to spot the difference. A red balloon stuck out in a group of blue balloons, or one shape did not match the others. Even as children staring at grainy 1980s television sets, we knew when something did not fit.  Read More

1 Peter is a letter addressed to believers who have been scattered throughout several Roman provinces in Asia Minor – what would be the general region of modern-day Turkey. They have suddenly been confronted with the reality that they are not at home anymore. They are displaced and scattered abroad, but still chosen by God to be His representatives in this world.  Read More

My husband and I became parents last year. Our daughter, Hope, is only 14 months old, but I already have a long list of ways I feel like we could’ve parented better–tweaking this sleep routine, displaying more self-control in that stressful moment…the list goes on. But as I was sharing this feeling with another young parent today, I remembered something about my own parents.  Read More

For his eleventh birthday, my son asked for a rock tumbler. It’s a little machine that transforms natural rocks into smooth gemstones. He’d already collected a few gems from various souvenir shops, but he wanted to be able to polish his own.   Read More

I would prefer not to set myself in opposition to the Person who is the very reason for my existence, salvation, and eternity. But I do it. All the time. The claim that pride is the “greatest of all sins” has always seemed like an exaggeration to me, even though Proverbs 3:34 indicates that God doesn’t treat it lightly. He opposes the proud? Why? Of course all sin separates us from God, but why does God’s reaction to pride seem so… extreme?  Read More

I loved fishing with my dad as a kid. We would catch a ton of catfish and crappie in that 14’ flat bottom boat. One time when we finished fishing, we motored to the dock so I could get out and back the trailer down the ramp to load the boat. I was about fourteen and my dad would teach me to drive when we went camping. I was in such a hurry to drive that day I stepped out of the boat and it began to drift away from the dock.  Read More