Four Strings of the Violin by Edward Okun Is there a more sobering question...are you ready to die? Living in an era where death is far removed from social conscious, where there's no threat of plague or persecution looming over us as it did in ages past (and still does in some parts of the…
The False Religion of Yogi Tea
In case you needed yet another reason to believe that our culture is vapidly self-absorbed, look no further than the tea tags of Yogi Tea. Trust me. I’ve been collecting them over the past week, shaking my head at the absurdity of the messaging. It’s not enough that this mentality of “I’m not religious, I’m…
Single in Christ is Not Falling Short of God’s Best
If you’re reading this, it means you survived the holidays. That’s no small feat—weathering the forced family photos, uncomfortable political debates, and being asked on twenty-six different occasions why you aren’t married. Good times. But seriously, from one single woman to another, the holidays can be tough. From engagement announcements to winter weddings to New…
10 Family Friendly Ways to Put “Christ” Back in Christmas
Traditions have a deeper hold on us than we realize, and at no other time of year than Christmas is this truth more prevalent or more easily recognizable. Christmas is first and foremost about the birth of our Lord and Savior. As Christians, this is a truth we affirm wholeheartedly in principle but too often…
Thanks-Living: A Reminder for Christians on Thanksgiving
"I think that is a better thing than thanksgiving: thanks-living. How is this to be done? By a general cheerfulness of manner, by an obedience to the command of Him by whose mercy we live, by a perpetual, constant delighting of ourselves in the Lord, and by a submission of our desires to His will."
Namaste Away: Yoga is Not Exercise…It’s Hinduism
In an era of radical individualism, it’s not surprising that the New Age movement has resurfaced in our culture with a vengeance. It caters to fallen man’s desire to exalt themselves—to be their own gods—and as such, is completely satanic in nature. For it echoes the same tantalizing lie Satan used to deceive Adam and…
Here’s Why You Need a Biblical Theology of Suffering
Throughout the course of history, the question of suffering has been at the forefront of philosophy. Why do we suffer? Why disease, famine, and death? Why rape and murder? Why me? I don’t think I go too far in saying that our perspective on suffering is intimately tied to our understanding of God.
Army Pink? Should Women Be in the Military?
This is a tough one for me. In the course of considering this post, I’ve written half a dozen introductions, ranted to friends and family, shouted mental objections at myself, binned the whole idea, retrieved the crumpled paper and smoothed out the edges. Still I feel no closer to expressing what I really want to…
It’s All Greek to Me: Resources to Learn New Testament Greek
While I’m blessed to be part of a church devoted to discipleship (including wonderful pastors willing to teach the original biblical languages), I know not everyone is so fortunate. Seeing as September is typically back to school month, I thought it might be helpful to provide information on the resources I'm using to learn Biblical…
Israel: Whose Land is it Anyway?
If you’re a Christian living in the United States, you have certainly witnessed the politicking surrounding the nation of Israel. It’s likely your pastor has even thrown his hat in the ring, particularly if you attend a church with a premillennial dispensational eschatology. In fact, American evangelicalism is so tied to the Promised Land that…
