When is the last time you used the word “glorious”? Maybe you said something like, “Wow! Tonight’s sunset is glorious.” Or maybe you said, “Mmm… That hamburger smells glorious!” Or maybe you don’t remember the last time you’ve used the word. Glorious is not a super common word we use on a day to day basis, but when we do use it, we are usually declaring that something is beautiful, admirable, or amazing. When the word “glory” is used in the Bible, it can also refer to the honor, praise, and/or worship of someone.
continue readingWhat was your word of the year for 2019?
A word of the year can be two different things. It can be a word you choose to define the upcoming year – kind of like a resolution of sorts. Or it can be a word that describes or summarizes your previous year.
The word of the year I chose for myself at the beginning of 2019 was “abide”. My goal or resolution for this past year was to abide with God. I wanted to be more dedicated to a daily quiet time, and I wanted to be intentional about reading theology and Christian living books. I wanted to learn more and more about God every day.
And while I want to continue abiding with God this new year, I chose to have a new word of the year for 2020. The word I chose is joy.
continue readingThe 2019 advent season is quickly coming to a close. The term “advent” is often equated with Christmastime or the Christmas season. But these don’t quite mean the same thing.
Advent is “the arrival of a notable person or thing.” (1)
Advent is a season of waiting. During your celebration of advent, you may have waited to light a new purple candle every week. You may have waited to snag some cookies out of the jar after dinner. You may be waiting to open the shiny presents under the tree. You may have waited for a loved one to visit. You may have waited to decorate your house for the holiday (or not… I know some of you had your Christmas trees up on November 1!).
But all these types of waiting are not what advent is all about. Advent is ultimately a season of waiting for Jesus, our Savior. It’s a season of remembering how people waited thousands of years for the Messiah to come, and it’s a season of looking forward to Christ’s second coming.
continue readingEvery year wedding bells ring for millions of American adults. These men and women vow to love and cherish their new spouses until death parts them. If you’ve been to a wedding ceremony, you know how beautiful and meaningful they truly are. Unfortunately, many American adults don’t keep these precious vows. The American Psychological Association reports that forty to fifty percent of married couples who live in the U.S. will divorce. (1) Human beings are imperfect, which means that many will not be faithful towards others. People can be unfaithful by lying to or abandoning a spouse, friend, or child. They can even be unfaithful in their job or other activities. Humans are unfaithful. But Paul’s second letter to Timothy reminds us of an important and encouraging truth-
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful…” 1 Timothy 2:13a
continue readingWhat are you thankful for?
If you haven’t already thought about this question, you probably will within the next few days (if you live in the States). In between stuffing turkeys, baking pies, getting together with family and friends, and watching football, we reflect on all that we have to be thankful for.
And some of us have a lot!
We have good food on our tables and reliable roofs over our heads. We stay busy at good jobs, or we spend our days with happy and healthy little ones. We have good relationships with our family and friends, and we know we can always rely on them. There’s plenty for us to be thankful for.
But for some of us, being thankful is not so easy.
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