Knowing the incomprehensible God can sometimes feel like an impossible goal. As finite people, we struggle to understand the fullness of an infinite God. However, understanding theology is a worthwhile pursuit for every believer and in this article, Amy Gannett shares 5 of the best theology books to encourage your knowledge of doctrine. Squirming in my seat, I knew that the order of participating voices was rounding the table in my direction. So, naturally, I looked for an escape route. Unflinching, the paper on the table in front of me stared up with the same resolve I showed it in ret ..read more

No one told me to test first thing in the morning, when HCG levels are the easiest to measure. I took the test in the late afternoon, workday finished and my husband waiting in our bedroom for me to announce the result one way or the other. With the bathroom door closed, I fumbled with the box, anxiously skimmed the instructions, and somehow missed the step about waiting five minutes before reading the test for accurate results. I was only a day late, but I had a subtle hunch it was no coincidence. I performed all the steps and set the stick on the counter, waiting for it to reveal the ans ..read more

Recently I read again in Luke about Jesus calling Levi, the tax collector, to follow him. I’ve heard so many times that tax collectors were considered awful humans—willing to shake down old ladies, essentially steal from anyone as they saw fit, and rule their territories out of fear. The Jewish people considered them traitors. After Jesus called Levi to follow him, he held a banquet for his new Leader and invited all his outcast friends to attend. There sat Jesus with this crew who not only the religious elite wouldn’t go near but neither would your everyday Joe. And the most shocking part ..read more

I bought these adorable, low maintenance succulents that look so uniform they appear artificial. As they took their place on the porch table, I loved their unspoken promise to be easy, lovely, and perfect.  But now they’ve grown.  On one, the bottom sticks out flat and wide, while the top sprouts tall and skinny—making its upper half disproportionately skimpy compared with its base. The other succulent spreads wider on one side than the other, and I imagine if it tried to walk, it would fall over from its cartoonish imbalance. As they grow, they aren’t symmetrical. They aren’t unif ..read more

God’s Word is clear that wives are to respect their husbands and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Yet, it is so common in Christian marriages for both spouses to struggle with their respective commands to love and respect because neither come as naturally as we would hope. Many wives also struggle with the notion of respecting their husbands when they don’t feel it has been earned—or worse, trust has been broken, making it that much more difficult. In this article, Aimée Walker shares, through her own journey, how growing in respect for your husband can have a d ..read more

I’m learning to appreciate—maybe not yet enjoy, but appreciate—the fog. I feel I’ve been residing in an extra-thick and lingering cloud recently. Dense and difficult and lingering. Though, not without hope. Not without progress.  It’s a place I’d normally despise, and I did at first. A place where my hard-fought plans are thrown aside, where the clarity of tomorrow—and even later today—is veiled.  But rather than wish it away, I’m learning to appreciate the fog instead. I’m learning to see what else is here in this season, not just to hold out for what’s next.  There is grace ..read more

“I want to be praying for my husband, but I’m not sure where to start.” “I’m not sure if my prayers for my husband are being heard.” “Why should I pray for my husband?” These are common concerns of women who are just learning the power of prayer in marriage. Eight years ago, Alissa Coburn and her husband rarely prayed with or for each other. In this prayer guide, she explains how she became a wife with a daily prayer ritual for her husband and offers us 10 powerful prayers from Scripture that we can pray over our own spouses. My husband stood across from me, weariness resting heavily on ..read more

“God, I need a woman of faith to talk to.” I wanted support with some problems I was facing, but I wasn’t sure who to turn to. Then, not long after my prayer, as I listened to a woman speaking at church, I felt God point her out to me. “You can talk to her,” I sensed in my spirit. Though Jesus is our ultimate Shepherd, He promises to send human shepherds—what we often call mentors—who will help us on our journey. In Jeremiah 3:15 He says, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (ESV). In the Bible, over and over we see God using ment ..read more

Proverbs 3:5-6 Sometimes we think we are doing a much better job of trusting God than we actually are. If you’re anything like me, maybe you recognize the signs. You ask God for direction and then: —Give him a menu of options to choose from —Run your own plan past Him for His sign off and approval —Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way, hoping you’ll eventually hit the jackpot —Chase after a goal that you believe is your purpose or calling Sound familiar? I confess I have pretty much done all of these things at one time or another. Instead of waiting on God to show me what’s next ..read more

My oldest daughter is approaching her tween years and parenting is taking a turn. The challenges she faces at school and with her own emotions are not for the faint of heart! Almost daily she comes home with some sort of new drama she is trying to decipher all the while attempting to figure out who she is amongst her peers. Though it can sometimes make parenting difficult, I empathize with her position. Being a kid is hard!  If you are looking for an engaging read for your elementary-aged reader that will also help them face some of the challenges they are experiencing, we have a wonde ..read more