Pixabay I didn’t know anyone. Not a soul. I knew enough to realize that I needed to bring my Bible to a Bible study, but I didn’t know too much beyond that. They wheeled in a cart with a big-box TV on the top and a VHS player on the bottom shelf. A woman with a Southern drawl, meticulously set hair, and a scarf around her neck appeared on the screen. The lady sitting next to me loaned me colored pencils, and we began marking up the first chapter in 1 Thessalonians - writing in our Bibles!. I chose to mark all references to Jesus with the symbol of the cross. My Holy Spirit symbol was a blue swirl. ‘Wrath’ was a black ‘X’. ‘Word of God’ was a sketched outline of an open book. Kay Arthur guided us through the Bible, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, attempting to decipher all that was said about the main themes. Kay taught me to read my Bible with an inquisitive mind, asking questions, digging deeply, and building my understanding of God’s Word, “Precept Upon Precept." Kay Arthur went home to Jesus on May 20, 2025. After many years of Precept Upon Precept Bible studies, I was in the time-exhaustive tumult of parenting and homeschooling when I decided to take the initiative to feed myself without a group of Bible study ladies. I had a big monitor computer sitting on top of my computer desk, which housed an enormous central processing unit, power supply, and a slot to insert floppy disks. I don’t think the word ‘internet’ was part of my vocabulary at that time. Instead, I would order CDs with John MacArthur sermons and listen to them over and over again. I had never been under the tutelage of expository preaching like MacArthur. He opened the Bible and made it come alive. I craved time in the Word, sneaking away to read my John MacArthur Study Bible whenever possible. John MacArthur went home to Jesus on July 14, 2025. When my laptop computer no longer had the technology to play CDs, I stacked them in a huge Rubbermaid storage tub and found Tim Keller on YouTube. From my kitchen table in rural Wisconsin, I was able to watch the sermons Keller preached at Redeemer in NYC. The love and grace of Jesus flowed through him, and I found myself even more magnetized to Jesus. Tim Keller went home to Jesus on May 19, 2023. Today, a quick drive across the St. Croix River lands me in Minnesota, the home of John Piper. Bethlehem Baptist annually hosts the “Godward Life Conference”, which I have attended each year since its inception. During this 2-day conference on September 26-27, 2025, dozens of articulate, Jesus-loving, Holy-Spirit-filled believers will present messages on a full array of topics. My favorite part is seeing Piper live. He is the most dynamic preacher I have heard in my lifetime. And he is still walking and breathing on this Earth. These four individuals have each had an enormous influence on my spiritual life. They have taught me how to study the Bible, created in me a desire to read my Bible, and helped me to realize my true purpose in life. As I jointly mourn my loss and celebrate their gain, I ponder who will take their place? Who are the up-and-coming preachers? Who will share Jesus with the next generation? Who will launch the next revival? Many big names come to mind, yet I wonder how Jesus would answer. “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-17) If you have been fed, you can feed. The baton has been passed. @ Tessa Lind (First published in Pursuing Perfection on Substack by Tessa Lind.)

Many Christian leaders, whatever title they go by, refuse the call of being challenged, either by God or others. They double down hard when challenged to the point that I see more doctrine, opinions, and warped theology being preached and held in higher regard than the actual word of God. On the flip side, I see countless congregants guilty of allowing this to happen as well. They follow along like good little sheep, never asking questions and afraid to challenge when something is wrong. There’s a system-wide failure happening; these are serious problems happening within the church today, and why so many have failed in following Jesus. They do not want to be challenged to be better, do better, or demand better. I see the countless many who just want to go to church on Sunday and get a couple of hours in and maybe go to a weekly Bible group and call it good. They ebb and flow with the tide of those around them because they don’t want to create a splash and stick out or want things sweet and simple. Either way, they are after participation points, so they can try and plead ignorance when they’re judged. This applies to church leaders as well. Just so you know, God sees right through that; no sand is too deep. But how is any of this related to the usage of a “Hardened Heart” in the Bible? Here is one good definition in a nutshell. “So, hardness of heart in the Bible is a heart that is like stone in that it is unmoved, unfeeling, unresponsive — sometimes to human suffering, but, worst of all, unmoved, unresponsive, unfeeling toward God’s word and God’s mercies, God’s gospel offers.” (1) I always used to only think of this term in regards to Pharaoh and Moses. I never thought of its application in this modern age until I ran into the above article. Looking further, I found more clarification on the matter. Mark DeJesus (3) goes into explanations that I will paraphrase and help explain why I see this as a problem occurring in the church now. He points out two or many reasons a person’s heart may become hardened. 1. Hearing Truth But Not Acting On It “Many are deceived into thinking they “know” something because they heard it. Yet that truth is not an active reality in their daily life. Truth is meaningless unless it has been activated through acting on it and allow it to manifest in your decisions.” “In some ways, a hard heart can be defined as someone who is “being exposed to Biblical truth, yet doing nothing with it.” 2. Not Healing the Issues of Your Heart “Masses of people right now are becoming hard, simply because they are not allowing God to heal the deep pain of their life.” “The tender optimism once present has turned into a rock hard coldness. How do you get there? By not allowing God to heal your pain.” He goes on to explain five consequences of a hard heart in detail. I’m just recapping. Since I’ve had a chance to understand them better, I can see this happening more are more within the church. You’ll hurt the people closest to you. You won’t give up things that hurt you. You’ll block the flow of God’s movement and direction. You become numb and cold to the things that should move you. God will turn you over to your desires. All of these are happening, and all of them are bad. But it’s numbers three and four that really made this issue click for me because it’s what I’ve seen and felt the most coming from people literally standing within the church meet and greet areas. I’ve been to plenty of churches, where I have walked in all excited to check everything out only to encounter cold and unfeeling people throughout the whole congregation, shuffling along to their pew so they can get this over with. I even see it in the leaders of churches. The movement and flow of God have been blocked by tradition, doctrine, scripts, and schedules, and there is no freedom for God to enter into such an arrangement. Hardened hearts didn’t end with Pharaoh and Moses; it’s still an ongoing and, in my opinion and serious issue facing the church today. The church’s growth is in decline, the ability to hear God has turned into deafness, to many stubborn and unresponsive people are lining the church pews and pulpits. © Jane Isley Sources: (1) Desiring God; Do I have a Hard Heart? (2) Gotquestions.com; What are the causes and solutions for a hardened heart? (3) Mark DeJesus; 5 Deadly Consequences of a Hard Heart

10 Keys for Recovering the Voice of Scripture Scripture isn’t dead. But for many, it feels like it. Somewhere between childhood Bible stories and adult life’s chaos, the words hardened. They stopped surprising us. Familiarity bred distance. And the Book that once stirred something deep now sits still, closed, waiting. It doesn’t have to stay that way. Scripture can breathe again, not with magic, but with honesty. Not through force, but with permission. Here’s how. 1. Put Down the Performance For many of us, Scripture became a tool for being “good.” Read your Bible, pray, go to church, repeat. But what if we stop treating it like a test or task? What if we drop the performance? Progressive pastor and writer Nadia Bolz-Weber puts it like this: “The Bible is not an answer book. It’s a conversation starter.” Instead of asking, What does this verse tell me to do? Try asking, What does this stir in me? Or even, What questions does this raise that I’ve been afraid to ask? Let Scripture start the conversation, not end it. 2. Read Slower, Much Slower Speed kills intimacy. Rushing through Scripture is like skimming a love letter for grammar. You miss the heart. Try this: take one verse. Read it out loud. Sit with it. Ask it questions. Let it bother you. Let it comfort you. Write down what catches your attention — even if it doesn’t make sense right away. Lectio Divina, an ancient Christian practice, invites us into this kind of slow reading. It’s not about analyzing. It’s about listening. 3. Let Go of Certainty We were taught to find “the meaning.” One meaning. The correct interpretation. But Scripture is full of contradiction, mystery, and tension — not because it’s broken, but because it’s honest. Progressive theologian Rachel Held Evans wrote: “The Bible isn’t a flat, one-dimensional book. It’s a living, breathing, ancient library.” Let the contradictions speak. Let the paradox sit in the room with you. Scripture isn’t broken because it doesn’t always make sense. It’s human. It’s divine. It’s both. 4. Reclaim the Human Element We forget sometimes. The Bible was written by people. Real people. With fears, flaws, and agendas. Prophets, poets, exiles, rebels. When you read Scripture, you’re eavesdropping on voices from centuries ago. And they weren’t just writing doctrine. They were lamenting. Celebrating. Arguing with God. Crying out. Instead of trying to “figure out” what God is saying in every line, try asking: What is the human struggle behind these words? Scripture breathes when we stop polishing it and start honoring the raw. 5. Bring Your Whole Self to the Page Don’t leave your questions at the door. Don’t check your pain, your anger, or your joy. Bring it all. You don’t need to be in a “spiritual” mood to engage the Bible. You just need to show up. Tired, distracted, doubting. That’s all welcome. Author Brian McLaren encourages this kind of honest engagement: “Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith. It’s often where faith begins.” When you bring your real self, Scripture becomes a mirror, not a filter. 6. Use Different Translations The King James Bible may be poetic, but it’s not the only voice in the room. Try reading a passage in The Message or the New Living Translation. Use side-by-side versions. Different wording wakes up the text. What felt rigid in one translation may feel alive in another. And don’t be afraid to read the paraphrased versions. Sometimes Eugene Peterson’s paraphrasing in The Message is what it takes to cut through our spiritual autopilot. It can be the same with Brian Simmons’ The Passion Translation. 7. Read Outside the Lines Let other voices guide you. Not just commentaries, but poets, essayists, pastors, doubters. People who wrestle and question. People who bleed and laugh. Read the words of people from different cultures, generations, and walks of life. If the only voices you hear are ones like yours, the echo chamber, Scripture will stay boxed in. 8. Make Peace with Not Knowing Some texts are hard. Violent. Confusing. And some days, Scripture may do nothing for you. That’s okay. Let it be. Let it lie dormant. Let it sit beside you in silence. You don’t need to crack the code. You don’t need to make it relevant. Sometimes letting Scripture breathe means letting it be more than you can control at the moment. If it’s become toxic, let it sit until it isn’t. 9. Read in Community Scripture wasn’t meant to be read in isolation. It came alive in gatherings, around fires, in homes, among the grieving and the hopeful. Find a group. Not one where everyone agrees, but one where people listen well, speak with care, and aren’t afraid of the hard stuff. When someone else shares what they see in a passage, it stretches your view. It reminds you the Spirit isn’t limited to your interpretation. 10. Let Scripture Shape You, Not Shame You Many of us carry wounds from Scripture being used as a weapon. Verses cherry-picked to shame, control, or exclude. But Scripture, when allowed to breathe, doesn’t shame. It calls. It invites. It opens up space for love to move. Progressive pastor Rob Bell once said: “The Bible is not a static, dead book. It’s a conversation that’s been going on for thousands of years. And you’re invited to join in.” Let it shape you, not into someone else’s image of faith, but into the person you’re already becoming. The Takeaway Letting Scripture breathe again isn’t about getting back to something old. It’s about starting fresh. It’s about giving up control and letting the words speak again, even if they whisper, even if they surprise you. You don’t have to feel holy. You don’t have to be certain. You just have to show up. Let Scripture be a companion. Let it breathe. And breathe with it. © Gary L Ellis (1944–2026)

We’re so familiar with the Gospels that we rarely stop to ask the obvious: what kind of books are these? For most of history, people didn’t even frame the question in terms of genre. The Gospels were Scripture – read in churches, proclaimed in sermons, harmonized into a single narrative about Jesus. Later, during the Enlightenment, skeptics dismissed them as myth, while others insisted they were unique – a one-of-a-kind category, unlike anything else in the ancient world. But in recent decades, scholars have noticed something striking. The Gospels fit a genre that was widespread in the first century: the “Life” (bios). These short works told the story of a person of significance – a philosopher, a military leader, even an emperor. They didn’t aim for modern-style detail or strict chronology. They were selective, using episodes and sayings to reveal the essence of someone’s character. And the Gospels fit right in. But they also turn the genre upside down. They don’t just tell a life. They tell the Life. And that’s what makes them explosive. Lives told character through story If you pick up Plutarch’s Life of Alexander, you won’t find a detailed timeline of every year in Alexander the Great’s reign. Instead, you’ll find carefully chosen episodes: a decisive battle, a pivotal conversation, a revealing moral choice. Each one is meant to illustrate Alexander’s character. The Gospels work the same way. They don’t tell us Jesus’ height, the shape of His face, or what He ate for breakfast. They don’t fill in the trivial details we sometimes wish we had. Instead, they zero in on the stories that matter most – the ones that reveal His heart, His authority, His mission. • Mark races us through healings, exorcisms, and confrontations, hammering the question: who is this man? • Matthew frames Jesus as the new Moses, the teacher whose words define a kingdom. • Luke highlights the outsiders, showing how Jesus’ compassion disrupts the norms of society. • John slows the pace, unfolding conversations that reveal divine glory breaking into human life. Just like other ancient Lives, the Gospels select, arrange, and highlight episodes to reveal character. But unlike other Lives, the character in question isn’t simply great. He’s world-shaking. The twist: not just a life, but the Life Here’s where the Gospels bend the genre. Most “Lives” honored figures of the past – philosophers, rulers, heroes – whose deaths were fixed in history. The Gospels insist that Jesus’ death wasn’t the end, but the turning point. And not only that. They insist He’s still alive. John says it outright: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). In other words, the Gospels aren’t written simply to inform or inspire. They’re written to invite. You’re not just learning about Jesus. You’re being confronted by Him. Summoned into His story. That’s not how a “Life” was supposed to work. You could admire Alexander. You could imitate Socrates. But Jesus? You don’t just admire or imitate Him. You belong to Him. His life becomes the key to your own. A Life that redefines lives Most ancient Lives aimed to inspire. You’d read about a general’s courage or a philosopher’s wisdom and be challenged to live in the same spirit. The example was the point. But the Gospels go further. Jesus is not just an example. He is a savior. When you read His Life, you don’t walk away with a set of moral lessons. You walk away, confronted by a cross and an empty tomb. His story doesn’t just inspire your life – it transforms it. His death for sin becomes your death to sin. His resurrection becomes your hope. Paul put it bluntly: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). That’s not admiration. That’s union. The Gospels are the record of Jesus’ Life. But they’re also the doorway into ours. His story is not a distant model but a living invitation. Why it matters today You might wonder: Does any of this talk about genre really matter? Isn’t it just academic background? Here’s why: In an age of skepticism, some dismiss the Gospels as fairy tales, while others treat them as theological reflections with little grounding in history. But ancient readers knew exactly what kind of works these were. They weren’t legends floating above reality. They were written in a recognizable form – the “Life” – to make the boldest claim possible: that Jesus of Nazareth is not just another figure worth remembering, but the one through whom God is remaking the world. And here’s the twist modern readers need to hear: unlike every other “Life,” this one doesn’t stay on the page. It reaches out and claims you. The Gospels are about Jesus. But they’re also about you. Your story. Your life. Your place in God’s world. The Gospel as invitation So what kind of books are the Gospels? Ancient readers would have recognized them as “Lives.” But they would have stumbled at the audacity: a crucified man presented as the world’s true Lord, whose story doesn’t end in death but in resurrection. The Gospels fit the genre. But they also break it open. Because Jesus isn’t just one more figure of history. He is the Life. And His story can become yours. © Nathan Cole. Originally published on Medium. If this article resonated with you and you’d like to know more about my journey and writing, I’d love for you to visit my About Me page.

Image by author Introduction If all were seen and known about God, what would be the merit in having faith? If people were able to see God, what would that do to our free will? We wouldn’t have any choice but to believe that He exists. God gave us the freedom to choose to have faith in Him so that we could love Him without coercion. Genuine love requires choice. The nature of faith At its core, faith involves belief in the unseen and trust in the unknown. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith requires acknowledging the possibility that a supernatural realm exists. For some, this means stepping away from naturalism into uncertainty, into the realm of mystery. It means trusting beyond the five senses and what can be immediately known or proven. It is this leap — this willingness to trust without complete knowledge — that gives faith its unique power and merit. For others, this leap of faith is simple because of the awe and wonder they feel when contemplating the vastness of the universe, the complexity of life, the precisely balanced conditions needed for life to exist, and humans’ tendency to worship. Belief in the supernatural realm doesn’t make one less intelligent; on the contrary, it makes one humble. Although invisible, God is knowable Even though God is invisible, He is not unknowable nor unreachable. He has revealed Himself through general revelation and special revelation: Creation — the order and beauty of the natural world Natural law — human moral intuition and conscience Holy scripture — the Bible Jesus Christ — the ultimate revelation of who God is Prophets — God speaking through chosen ones to deliver His messages Holy Spirit — given to believers to help them do God’s will God’s hiddenness is not silence; it is an invitation to us to look deeper. Faith requires courage. It is valuable precisely because it asks individuals to choose trust over certainty, hope over proof, and love over mere knowledge. This choice allows faith to shape character and build resilience in the face of adversity. The faith of Abraham Abraham is frequently referred to as the “father of faith”. His story has merit because he trusted in God completely. His faith was tested precisely because he did not see or know all that lay ahead, and it is this trust in the unseen that made his faith remarkable. Science doesn’t have all the answers Science relies on repeatable experiments to test hypotheses; it cannot prove history or anything outside the scope of observable phenomena. Science cannot prove or explain any of the following: · Subjective experiences such as the taste of a strawberry or the feeling of joy. · Experiential truth, such as proof that your spouse loves you. · The subjective reality of emotions, beauty, and morality. Science cannot prove that anything is inherently good or evil. · The principles of logic and mathematics. Some scientists argue that humans created these principles and rules to describe patterns they observe in the world. They don’t see God as the ultimate source of the mathematical truths found in the universe, which humans then discovered and formalized. · Science cannot explain why the fundamental laws of physics are what they are. They are the foundation upon which all scientific explanations are built. · Science cannot prove or disprove the existence of a soul, God, or any other supernatural entity. · Science cannot answer existential questions like whether reality is a simulation or if the world was created recently with apparent age. Conclusion Faith, then, is the courageous act of seeking the unseen, trusting that what is most real is sometimes what cannot be grasped by the senses. It has merit, not because it is easy, but because it transforms those who choose it. Faith prompts growth and strengthens one’s connection with God. The process of wrestling with doubt, questioning, and ultimately deciding to trust is what shapes the character of a believer. If all were revealed, there would be no journey — only arrival. The merit of faith lies in the journey itself, in the willingness to walk into mystery and trust in goodness even when the path is unclear. © Debra Hodges

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash I skipped breakfast this morning. By mid-morning, I could feel an emptiness gnawing at me from the inside out, but I just ignored it. For lunch, I went out to a restaurant with a friend, but I didn’t eat. I felt a pang of loneliness, but reasoned that it didn’t make sense because I was with my friend. I had time for a mid-afternoon snack, but chose to surf around on the internet instead. By dinnertime, I was famished. It was difficult to be around people who had eaten breakfast. Their cheeks were glowing with health and joy. My eyes and words communicated how hangry I was. I crawled into bed, refusing to eat. After just one month, I had Ozempic face - visibly changed. That’s when I realized the truth: Christians should never diet. Fasting from God’s Word is a bad idea. John Piper has long touted his daily practice of “No Bible; No Breakfast.” If we have not feasted first on the Word of God, we should not be feeding our bodies with physical food. Seek God first, and everything else will be added. What kind of nourishment can be found in the Bible? Joy: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.” (Jeremiah 15:16) Filling up on Scripture keeps my eyes on Jesus. As things inevitably fall apart throughout the day, I am reminded that my hope and future are in Jesus. Purpose: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34) Just as Jesus had a divine purpose, we, too, were created for a purpose. Every morning, I pray that I would glorify God in all that I think, say, and do. Even though I daily fall short of this goal, knowing my purposes of loving others, telling people about Jesus, and worshipping the one true God, helps me not to get distracted with earthly stuff. Sweetness: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” When I became a believer in Jesus, His Word became my addiction. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy sweet treats like ice cream and chocolate, but they are temporary. They don’t satisfy for long. God’s Word is true sustenance for my soul; it’s the all-natural, organic, zero-calorie sweetener. Eternal Life: “For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:33) When Jesus said these words, He was speaking the truth about himself. Jesus is the bread of God who came from Heaven to give life to the world. Eating physical food temporarily gives us nourishment for our bodies; the food Jesus offers satisfies forever. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John 6:63). Just as Jesus told the woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14) Anchor: Without the anchor of God’s Word, we will be “…tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14) As I daily read God’s Word, I am filling myself with God’s truth. As I am daily confronted with Satan’s lies, I am able to cut the cancer of Satan to pieces with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Jesus’ Secret Stash: “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” (John 4:32) I think every mom has had a secret stash of hidden food. If the kids find it, the treat is spoiled. The special candy to be hidden in the plastic eggs at Easter? Ruined. The chips and salsa to be the appetizer for company tomorrow night? Gone to a midnight teenager’s binge. The raspberries for the top of the birthday cake? Mysteriously disappeared. What food does Jesus have that the disciples don’t know about? Read John 4 and find out. I’ve decided to stop fasting from God’s Word. Scripture is filled with nourishment for my spiritual life; nourishment for my soul. When I open my Bible in the morning, it’s like having a coffee date with God; He speaks to me through His Word, and I speak to Him through prayer. And then I eat breakfast. First published in Pursuing Perfection on Substack by © Tessa Lind, tessalind.substack.com

I accepted Jesus into my life last winter during my freshman year of college, literally right before I was about to go out partying. You can read the full story here! Now, as a sophomore, I look back on that and marvel at God’s timing; I laugh a little, too. I have never been a big fan of parties– I don’t drink. I never drank at parties before becoming a Christian, and I don’t plan on doing so now. One thing about college, though, is that sometimes it’s tough to abide in Jesus while living and moving around in a space that runs by worldly wisdom. This isn’t so much about the education system, but rather about the college student culture and societal norms. I often find myself losing sight of Jesus daily, and I have to reel myself back in and rest in His Word before I go back out to the world once again. There are so many distractions that have veered me off my path, and I have to remind myself of why I am here in the first place. JESUS. First and foremost, I want to address the parties. I personally do not have issues with parties themselves; I still go out once in a blue moon and enjoy getting ready with my friends while dancing and listening to music. However, what goes on at college parties usually perpetuates sin. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, sin is not a control tactic; rather, it is genuinely bad for us, and God is trying to warn us from hurting ourselves even more. For example, excessive drinking causes extreme damage not only physically but also mentally. When I see people get drunk, they look and act like completely different people. I genuinely feel like they aren’t even themselves at that point, and it terrifies me. It’s a sad reality that many people think they need to drink to have fun. It’s important to realize that the ‘high’ effect you get from both drinking and doing drugs eventually wears off. So while it makes you feel good for a little bit, it never lasts. Drinking until the point of getting drunk and doing drugs has become so normalized that they are seen as ‘cool’ and ‘fun’ things to do. I’ve often felt a strange sense of FOMO when I am around people who are drinking and doing drugs because I feel like I’ll be seen as the weirdo or the odd one out. I have to snap myself out of these moments because I know that I am better off without those things. However, I refuse to sit on a high horse and judge these people because I know that they are just as broken as I am. I’ve struggled with other addictions in my life, so who am I to judge how they deal with their humanity? It saddens me to see people engaging in these behaviors because I know that Jesus brings true happiness and satisfaction. I want these people to see His light and realize that they do not have to engage in all these harmful things to have fun. And again, nothing is wrong with having alcohol; moderation is key. I pray that their eyes will be opened and that they will come to know Jesus, who is the true source of joy. Additionally, I am surrounded by many people with different beliefs– many of whom do not agree with Jesus and His teachings. This is a complicated topic to cover because God has blessed us all with free will, so therefore, we aren’t forced to follow Him. But after living most of my life without Jesus and now being with Him for the past few months, I never want to go back. Every day, I talk to people who bring up beliefs/ideas that oppose those of Jesus. It’s hard to stand up for Him and speak His truth, mainly because most of the time, it is uncomfortable. People tend to get offended easily when Jesus is brought up…especially because His word is the exact opposite of the worldly wisdom preached today. I get it… I used to get very angry when I would hear Christians stand up for their beliefs. I never understood why they were so passionate about Jesus and why they just couldn’t accept things the way they were. Being on the other side, I now know, but God has blessed me with experience on both sides. I think it’s essential, no matter what, to stand up for Him because while not all people will agree with His Word, seeds will be planted. For the first time on Monday, I spoke up about my experience with Jesus in front of one of my classes. God blessed me with extra courage that morning, and I shared with the class about my ‘life-changing moment.’ I spoke about how EVERYTHING in my life changed from that point on, and the breakthrough that occurred during the winter. I honestly wish I were a bit more specific about the situation, but that was one step ahead! I felt grateful to share it with the class– my professor was highly supportive and asked questions about my experience. I pray that I will continue to speak about Jesus from now on with the same, if not more, confidence that I had that day. While being a Christian college student has its challenges, it is worth spreading the love of Jesus. I must continue my college journey because, first and foremost, I want a degree. But secondly, I can’t only share the gospel with believers and people like me; it needs to be shared with those who don’t know or misunderstand Jesus. The gospel isn’t for perfect people (because who is perfect anyway?)… it is for hurting and broken people who are in need of a Savior. I would be hypocritical to judge non-believers because I was one myself around this time last year. I also still have struggles myself– I have to be really careful about which music I listen to at parties. I struggle a lot with maladaptive daydreaming, and music makes it 10x worse. I’ve just set a goal for myself to know my limits and know when it’s time to step out and take a break, especially when I hear songs that do not honor God. Additionally, I make it a once-in-a-while occurrence to go out. Moving back to the point, it is vital that Jesus saved me while I was in college, because I can relate to non-believers who have had the same doubts about Him as I did. This means that I will not sit at parties and yell at people for drinking, doing drugs, or hooking up with random people. However, if someone asked me my thoughts on the matter, I would be honest with them and share the gospel. I would let them know that I used to support those decisions (‘you do you, babe’) and now I do not because Jesus pulled my heart out of the grave and gave me life. Bad decisions brought me nowhere, but following Him brought me everywhere. © Sienna Krieg

If you haven’t been following along, here is part 1 and part 2. If you have, awesome, and we'll be finishing up today. “The Mother of Israel." What an honor. In Judges 5:7, we see something that can’t be unseen, yet somehow is blatantly ignored by many who push that “no men available” nonsense. “The rulers ceased in Israel, they ceased, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel.” It takes a lot of balls and a very bad theological jump to claim that Deborah was a punishment and an embarrassment to men and Israel, just because she was a woman. Look at what our Lord said about her. If that is how you truly see it, you are not in line with God; you are in line with your own personal issues, and that is the only thing embarrassing here. Men and women are physically different, but we are spiritually and mentally equal. If you do not agree with this, then I need you to show me, with facts, how both genders do not have the same ability to learn, teach, discern, or be called on by God. Here are the facts, despite anyone’s feelings on this matter. God raised up those Judges, each and every one of them. Judges 2:16 Israel went to all the different Judges during this period. As stated above, “they were the legal voices for the people.” They were not seeking out her words or her opinions, nor do we see that anywhere in the Scriptures. The people accepted her as a Judge despite her gender. It wasn’t common, but that still is the case in our era with quite a few fields of work, so it does not merit a gender-only-based argument. A comparison of the Hebrew word “shaphat” used in Exodus 18:13 with Moses and Judges 4:4 shows us that Deborah and Moses were doing the same job. God had zero issue inspiring the authors to write. If she were a punishment, don’t you think He would have made that clear? When it comes down to it, those who hold this opinion: She can prophesize for the people, but can’t make a judgment for the people? What is at the root of your opinion? Is it because she was a woman who had a God-granted authoritative role, and you have a negative view of women? If not, why just her then? Is it a case of parroting what you were taught and not searching out the Bible for yourself, laziness, ignorance, or the case of satisfying a personal agenda? What is your Biblical justification for the belief that Deborah was a punishment? Israel had peace for 40 years because of her guidance and relationship with God. And nope, you can’t use the fact that Israel screwed up after her as justification either, because their constant screw-ups are clearly established before her and after her. © Jane Isley

Photo by Reinhart Julian on Unsplash Every December, my phone reminds me Christmas is twenty days away. My inbox fills with sales. My soul feels nothing. It’s not that I don’t love Christmas. It’s that by the time it arrives, I’m already exhausted by it – the playlists, the pace, the pressure to be “in the spirit.” A few years ago, I stumbled across something called the church calendar – not a dusty relic of religion past, but a rhythm that re-taught my heart how to breathe. Our Disordered Time We live in a world that measures everything by speed and success. The modern clock ticks in chronos, the Greek word for sequential time – hours, minutes, deadlines. It rules our schedules, and sometimes, our souls. We treat time as a resource to manage, not a story to inhabit. Even our faith gets caught in the cycle – racing from one event to the next: Christmas, Easter, and then back to ordinary life as though nothing happened. But underneath it all, our hearts long for something steadier. Something sacred. We weren’t made merely to use time. We were made to live within it – and to remember the One who holds it. The Beauty of Sacred Time The church calendar is one of the oldest, simplest tools for slowing down and remembering that story. It doesn’t belong only to cathedrals or liturgical traditions. It’s a gift to anyone who’s weary of hurry. Across the centuries, Christians have marked their year not by fiscal quarters or exam blocks, but by the life of Christ. Advent whispers of waiting. Christmas celebrates arrival.Lent invites repentance.Easter bursts with resurrection joy.Pentecost breathes renewal. It’s not about nostalgia – it’s about learning to let our time tell the truth. To live as if the gospel is not just an event in history, but a rhythm woven through every season. Instead of asking, “What’s on my calendar?” the church year quietly asks, “Where am I in God’s story?” Rhythms That Shape the Heart Our habits shape us far more than our intentions. What we repeat – we become. Every habit, spiritual or otherwise, is a kind of liturgy: it forms the loves of our heart. And when we pattern our year around the story of Jesus, something happens. We learn to wait instead of rush. To rejoice without distraction. To mourn with hope. To live aware that every moment belongs to Him. Repetition might seem boring. But repetition is how love becomes steady. It’s how we learn, as the poet T.S. Eliot said, "The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time." The church calendar isn’t about doing more. It’s about being shaped by what we already know is true. Rediscovering the Story You don’t need a cathedral or choir to begin. You simply need to pay attention – to slow down enough to notice that your faith has seasons. Advent becomes a time to wait in hope. Lent becomes a time to face what’s broken. Easter becomes a time to rejoice in what’s been made new. These are not rules to keep, but rhythms to live by – like tides that pull our wandering hearts back toward shore. When I began to follow this rhythm, I noticed my year stopped feeling like a blur. Relearning Time In a world obsessed with what’s next, the church calendar invites us to remember what’s already been done. It dares to repeat the same story, year after year – not because we’ve forgotten, but because we need to be formed by it. Maybe holiness isn’t found in cramming more in, but in circling back – again and again – to Christ. If you’d like a gentle way to begin that rhythm this Advent, I’ve created a free three-day guide called Waiting for Light – a printable devotional sampler to help you slow down, rest, and remember the hope of Christ’s coming. Download your free copy here. © Nathan Cole

I’ve come to realize that God doesn’t always speak through loud signs or flashes of revelation. More often than not, His voice slips in quietly through a calm in my heart that doesn’t make sense in the natural. There have been times I prayed for direction, and though everything around me looked uncertain, there was this unexplainable stillness inside. Other times, even when the option before me seemed perfect, I just couldn’t shake the unease. That’s when I learned that peace and unrest are both languages God speaks in. Peace — The Mark of His Presence Scripture says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15). The word “rule” there means to act as an umpire. In other words, peace helps us discern what’s right. It calls the shots in moments of confusion. When God is leading you, there’s a rest that anchors your heart even when your mind still has questions. You may not know every detail, but there’s a gentle assurance that you’re safe in His will. This peace isn’t the absence of problems, it’s the quiet confidence that God is with you in the process. It’s that inner calm that whispers, “You don’t need to rush, I’ve got this.” “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” ~ Isaiah 26:3 Unrest Is The Holy Spirit’s Red Flag But just as peace affirms His voice, unrest can be His warning. There are moments when the Holy Spirit stirs a discomfort in you, a subtle tension that says, “Don’t go there.” You can’t always explain it logically, but something feels off. That’s not fear, it’s discernment. When Jonah ran from God’s assignment, he found no rest until he returned to obedience. Sometimes, the storm outside is just a reflection of the storm within. Pay attention to that unease because it may be heaven’s way of protecting you. Learning to Listen Within The more you walk with God, the more you’ll notice that His peace is not silent, it’s a voice of its own. The key is to slow down long enough to hear it. Quiet your thoughts, surrender your plans, and invite the Holy Spirit to speak. You’ll begin to recognize that His peace is steady, not fleeting. It doesn’t waver with circumstances, and when it’s absent, that’s often your cue to pause, pray, and wait until He brings clarity. In Stillness God’s voice isn’t just heard, it’s felt. Sometimes through a peace that holds you still, other times through a restlessness that redirects you. Either way, He’s speaking, not to confuse you, but to keep you close. “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.” ~Isaiah 55:12 © Favour