My earliest memories of praying are centered around the dinner table when I was a little girl. Our family had a nightly ritual of clasping one another’s hands, swinging our arms up and down and praying “The Lord is Good to Me” in sing-song rhythm before each meal. It was a blessing designed just for […]
IN PURSUIT OF INTIMACY: MEDITATION
I sit in the chapel, cross-legged on the floor. Through the closed door I hear the dull thud of doors slamming shut, the hum of students conversing, and the buzz and bustle of a regular Tuesday evening. I fidget and move around so that I’m kneeling, and then prostrate myself on the floor. I breathe […]
IN PURSUIT OF INTIMACY: SPIRITUAL PRACTICES THAT CAN GROW US CLOSER TO GOD
“It’s not a religion, it’s a relationship.” I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve heard this phrase uttered in reference to Christianity. The idea of being in a relationship with God is one of the things that sets Christians apart from other belief systems. We are not bound by the obligation to […]
THE EMPOWERING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR EVANGELISM
One of the most important roles that the Holy Spirit has in the life of a Christian is related to God’s mission. God’s mission of transforming and redeeming the world includes the spreading of the good news about Jesus, including his life, death, and resurrection. Christopher J. H. Wright, in The Mission of God, writes about […]
PRAYER: THE ALIGNMENT OF OUR SOULS WITH GOD
A few months ago I picked up R.A. Torrey’s book, How to Pray, and began reading with some hope that it would wake my tired spirit. I flipped through the first few chapters, letting conviction and information seep in, and, for a few days, I seemed to improve. My motivation to read Scripture and spend time […]
SHARING YOUR FAITH
Evangelizing—or sharing your faith—is scary for the majority of Christians, not just new believers. This is understandable; it’s not exactly easy convincing a person that they need a savior to completely revamp their life, especially if this person believes they are happy without Jesus. When someone accepts Jesus, they leave their old priorities behind and make […]
BEING A GOOD SAMARITAN
If someone were to sit down and contemplate the state of the world right now, it would be easy to find sadness, unfairness, and inexplicably awful things that can’t fully be comprehended. We have mass poverty, pandemic diseases, social injustice, gender inequality and political oppression, just to name a few ills. Then on top of […]
A Forgetful People: A Forgiving God
College gets romanticized as a time for parties and lifelong memories, and while for some that may hold true, my college experience could not be further from that lifestyle. I decided to attend a school way outside of my budget. Because of this choice, I needed to accelerate my graduation to afford such expensive schooling. […]
CONSTANT GRATITUDE
Lorrie Noel found out she had a brain tumor in August 2011. After more testing, she learned it was cancerous. Though the cancer had nestled into an inoperable place in her brain, stretching its deadly tendrils from this safe haven, Lorrie had inexplicable joy. Seasoned doctors wondered at her undaunted smiles, and nurses, hardened by […]
Lord of All
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” The first commandment in Exodus 20 establishes for the people of Israel, who are newly without certain governance, having been successfully and miraculously led out of […]