New Spiritual DNA: The Spirit of God Lives in You
This was the hallowed moment we had been waiting nearly eighteen months for. To a casual observer, it might have seemed like a routine blood transfusion as the red bag was hooked up and attached to the IV. But for my Mom, the contents of this bag were her last hope. Leukemia had ravaged her […]
20 Bible Verses About Encouragement
If you do a quick Google search for encouragement, you’ll find an array of affirming messages that will probably tell you things you want to hear. Like, “You are doing a good job!” “You’re beautiful just the way you are.” or “Just do it!” While those messages may contain elements of truth, the Bible offers […]
50 Years of Becoming and Beholding
I resent how Instagram and Facebook think they “know” me. Ads targeting women of “a certain age” overwhelm my feed. As I scroll, I see ads for exercise programs to get rid of double chins, non-surgical facelifts (not gonna lie, that one did intrigue me), weight-loss injections, and mini-mom makeovers. Social media is a lot […]
20 Bible Verses About Transformation
There’s something satisfying about watching before-and-after videos. We love to see overgrown backyards get trimmed and mowed, or the outdated kitchen get a much-needed facelift. With the help of video, long stretches of time condense into seconds or minutes. In a way, a time-lapse transformation illustrates both the quick and slow ways we change as […]
Is Your Mind Set on the Flesh or the Spirit?
One of the world’s most recognizable sculptures, The Thinker depicts a muscular, nude man hunched in deep thought. You’ve probably seen the image parodied in advertisements and memes as someone overthinking a decision or solving a problem. His right elbow presses into his left knee, while his chin rests on his hand. We wonder what […]
20 Bible Verses About Hospitality
Do you confuse hospitality with entertaining? It’s easy to mistake one for the other—especially in our culture that’s obsessed with creating, capturing, and sharing visions of the “good life.” There are whole TV networks, social media platforms, and sections in your local bookstore to inspire you to welcome others into your home with style and […]
Why Jesus Took on Flesh and How We Now Live by the Spirit
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh […]
20 Bible Verses for Overcoming Temptation
The first temptation in the Garden of Eden came in the form of questioning God’s very words. Can you imagine hearing that ancient serpent’s hideous tongue hissing in Eve’s ear? “Did God really ssssay?” We’ve probably heard variations of his temptations slither into our thoughts, too. Why is it such a big deal if I […]
No Condemnation in Christ: The Life-Changing Power of Romans 8:1-2
Do you know and love these marvelous words? Has your soul overflowed with praise that in Christ, you no longer face condemnation? Martin Luther once famously likened the Bible to a ring, the epistle of Romans to its diamond, and chapter eight, the sparkling point of the jewel. This is the beginning of a new […]
20 Bible Verses About Walking in the Spirit
The other day, my 22-year-old son and I took a walk to a bookstore. He’s at least six inches taller than I am, and while he casually walked down the street, I was at a half-sprint to keep up. Keeping in step with him was challenging, and when my pride and legs could take it […]