Ever contemplate the gifts of Christ when you admire a creche? Nativity scenes often imply three wise men visited the newborn Savior on the first Christmas. Scholars believe the visit might have occurred a bit later than the night of Jesus' birth and no specific number of magi are mentioned in…
A week ago, ashes marked the foreheads of countless believers worldwide. Even those of us who didn't participate in the traditions of Ash Wednesday have rolled our clocks forward to spring into a new season. Lente, the Middle English word for springtime, birthed the name of our current phase in…
To live delighted, we must reconcile the world of real life in which we don't always get what we want. And the means to our dreams isn't often easy. Sometimes our best path to life's potential involves sacrifice. How do we find joy in times of sacrifice? For a life of…
Sacrifice. Surrender. The spiritual disciplines urge us to give up things we might prefer to retain. The term "discipline" itself carries a grim reputation. Those who observe the season of Lent often wrap these pre-Easter weeks in terms of self-deprivation. We must resist all things delicious, luxurious, or fun so we…
Shades of indigo clung to the night's damp air, pooling deep in the stone corners of their dwelling. Mineral scents wafted from the moist earthen floor as James tossed on his straw mat. He pulled his cloak up over his shoulders, drew his limbs in tight against his body, and set his jaw.…
He grinds his jaw as his blistered soles pound the trail. His gear weighs as much as a man’s corpse, and the load drives an ache through his spine and knees. Perspiration stings his eyes. His lungs heave in a steamy breath. Five more miles before the downhill slope. Must. Press.…
The measure of a thing's value differs from one person to the next. Though supply and demand set market costs, the significance of an item varies for individuals. Starving children would trade diamonds for bread. Politicians spend thousands on banquets to feed woo diamond-studded supporters. Wealth or need, desire or apathy.…
" I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:27-28). Hannah endured years of endless persecution. She faced it while cooking. The torment followed her into the marketplace. She could not escape it at night.…
Cakes, red meat, and fresh neckties fly off the shelves this week. I'm grateful for the ease with which I could choose a card for my wonderful dad. But many struggle with this weekend's holiday. I heard a comedian wish aloud for a card without overstated accolades, reading something like, "Well,…
"Now remain in my love... My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (John 15:9-13). He grinds his jaw as his blistered soles pound the trail. His gear weighs as much as…