The apostle Peter followed Jesus around Israel for three years. He walked with him, learned from him, and witnessed mind-blowing miracles by which Jesus declared himself to be the rescuing King God had promised. Each miracle—opening the eyes of the blind, making a paralyzed man walk, feeding … [Read more...] about What Does Jesus Do for Disappointed Followers?
Bible Stories
Letter From a Wise Man
What became of the wise men who worshipped Jesus? After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned to their country by another route, and disappeared from the record of Scripture. As I studied and pondered their culture, their preparation for the journey, and the certainty … [Read more...] about Letter From a Wise Man
What happens in Heaven when God restrains angels?
Have you ever been reading your Bible and stopped to think, "Woah. I wonder what that was like." As part of our fall Bible study, I'd been reading about the Temptation of Christ in the desert. I had that ho-hum feeling I sometimes get that makes me say, "Oh, yeah. I know this one. Three … [Read more...] about What happens in Heaven when God restrains angels?
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 … [Read more...] about Bad Endings, Fake News, & Good Stories
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 … [Read more...] about Learn THRICE at VBS
Does it Seem Futile?
It's time to leave the beach, and I dread making the announcement. The beach has become a reprieve for me in the busy days of parenting our three little boys. They were born within three years, so we never had time to store the stroller. I just kept squeezing them in and strapping them on—the … [Read more...] about Does it Seem Futile?