Our guest today is Heidi Viars, writer, photographer, wife, mother, and follower of Jesus. Originally from Germany, she now lives in Wisconsin where she writes on her blog about her rescuing Savior and posts photos of the beauty he's created. When I saw the cover of the German version of Remarkable Hope, I contacted Heidi to ask her to translate. There was a campfire drawing on the cover, and I was a little confused. But as soon as Heidi translated the title for me, I understood. And you … [Read more...]
Need a New Bible Study this Fall?
For two-thirds of my life, my schedule has been controlled by the school calendar. I graduated from college in May, and when the next August rolled around, I had an unexpected sense of dread. Then I remembered, “Hey, I graduated. August doesn’t change anything for me!” It was a revelation. But even if the traditional school schedule rhythms don’t influence your schedule, August still signals the start of something new. If your Bible Study or Book Club is looking for a new book to study … [Read more...]
Bad Endings, Fake News, & Good Stories
One of the worst story endings I’ve ever read was served up to me last year in a long-awaited novel. I had high hopes, but when I read the final pages, I thought, “Pfffft! That’s ridiculous. That would never happen.” One element of the ending was so unbelievable that I felt irritated. I’ve never written a novel, and I know storytelling requires a boatload of creativity and mental stamina, So the fact that I had the gall to criticize probably says more about me than this author. But in any … [Read more...]
Learn THRICE at VBS
The famous French essayist Joseph Joubert wrote, "To teach is to learn twice." I have found it to be the absolute truth. Not only does the teacher learn it once for herself and again when she teaches, she remembers the truths longer and perhaps more accurately after she’s served them up to her class. Last week, I had the stressful privilege of teaching Vacation Bible School at our church. I already knew the familiar Bible Stories—Jonah and the Whale, David and Goliath, and several … [Read more...]
What’s that smell?
Last week I took my regular walk down to the water. I rounded the curve, and the expansive lake spread out before me. Sometimes I round that curve, and the breeze blowing up the shore carries the most unappealing smells. Often, I smell a rotting carcass, and as the smell gets stronger, I inevitably see a dead carp bloating in the sun. There’s a garbage can close to the dock, and a nauseating cocktail of odors seep from under its fitted metal lid. When the lake is low, a quarter-mile of soggy … [Read more...]
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