Reading the World

When I was twelve, I would pray the same prayer every night: Lord, send me adventure. Following Him has been the greatest adventure of all, and seeing how He weaves plot, character, and conflict has proved to me that He is indeed the “Author and Perfecter” of my faith. Perhaps that’s why I love booksContinue reading “Reading the World”

Perspective

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I ask the ten-year-old in my Sunday school class. “A teacher.” There’s a short pause after my slightly distracted, “Oh, that’s nice.” Then, she says, “But really, I just want God to come back.” This gets my attention. I know she’s talking about Jesus. “HowContinue reading “Perspective”

The Lamb

We took a field trip to Myrvik Farms in Edmore, ND last week. Their Katahdin Hair sheep were lambing. My children held the lambs and learned about their care and routines.  The gentle faces, soft hair, and wobbly legs brought the startling horror of sacrifice into stark contrast. Why did it have to be theContinue reading “The Lamb”

Sinking Prayers

Sinking prayers twist our gut. We listened in unblinking suspense as sportscaster Dan Orlovsky prayed live for football player Damar Hamlin after he collapsed on the field. We watched in growing horror as meteorologist Matt Laubhan prayed during his weather forecast as he realized that a devastating tornado would rip across a small Mississippi town. Continue reading “Sinking Prayers”

Take a Stab at Doubt

The Gospel writers all take a stab at doubt. As they write about life, they put doubt to death.  A policeman in my community once told me, “You know its Spring when the first stabbing of the year happens.” I would rather think about chicks and bunnies, but his point was that people who canContinue reading “Take a Stab at Doubt”

Butterfly Rules

We studied the book of Galatians in Sunday School last week.  I asked the children, “Do Christians have rules?” Well, of course they do. They shouldn’t steal or lie or hit their sisters.  Then I asked the children, “Does keeping the rules make them Christians?”  This one was more difficult, and they scratched their headsContinue reading “Butterfly Rules”