According to a survey performed by the website Statista.com between Oct. 25 and Nov. 2, 2022, the top 5 New Year’s resolutions for 2023 have not changed from the year before: Exercising more is No. 1, followed by eating healthier, losing weight, saving more money and spending more time with family and friends. Certain elements are undoubtedly crucial to accomplish goals: Perseverance, self-control, and determination are at the top of the list. Likewise, challenging our self-imposed Continue Reading
Faith: A New Year’s Goal Worth Pursuing
“But the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 NASB). Soft may be desirable in pillows and toilet paper, but not in body tone or faith. As I evaluated where I want to go in the new year, I realized my faith needs toning. Both my body and soul require good nutrition and exercise. My Bible feeds my faith, but I must read it and apply it to be strong. Knowing the perils of fragile faith and the benefits of firm faith motivates me to build my faith muscles. Let’s take Continue Reading
A Christmas Dare
Years ago, when our oldest daughter was in fourth grade, her public school's music teacher put together a "holiday musical" as part of the elementary school curriculum. As I browsed the script that my daughter brought home, I saw a variety of holidays celebrated in traditional songs. From Hannukah to Kwanza, from Bodhi Day to Yule, songs celebrating various cultures and religions filled the score. When I got to the end of the music sheet, I could not believe my eyes. To my great surprise, not Continue Reading
The Christmas Choir You Already Signed Up For
I truly hate goodbyes.It must have to do with the fact that my entire family lives overseas, and saying good bye when we visit means at least another year without seeing each other. But truth is, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 1:1.A couple of months ago, our dear Bethany McIlrath communicated that, due to some wonderful new opportunities that are coming her way, starting in January, she will not be able to continue contributing to Continue Reading
God’s Silence doesn’t Mean He is Absent {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
There are approximately 400 years in Jewish history unaccounted for in protestant canonical scriptures. This time is known as the intertestamental period - the years between the Old and the New Testament from Nehemiah until the birth of Jesus Christ (c. 430 – 5 BC). Due to the absence of prophetic revelation, scholars call this period the “Silent Years.” However, this era is anything but silent when it comes to historical and cultural changes. Social and political events during this time were Continue Reading
Mary’s Christmas Story {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP}
Do you love to hear a good story? I enjoy stories passed down through generations and in literature. And I’m especially fond of stories told as first-hand accounts of actual events. But what about the Christmas story? Have you read the Christmas story in the Bible? How have others told the story? I wonder how Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, felt and experienced the birth of the Christ child. Or, what it was like to see Jesus grow into a man and fulfill His Continue Reading
