I’m a snacker. I eat a good breakfast and a healthy evening meal, but I don’t really do lunch. Instead, throughout the day, I graze my way through whatever snacks are within reach—crisps, chocolate, cookies, cake. Consequently, by the evening, my body is crying out...

Kicking off this series on Fighting Biblical Illiteracy Through Study and Discipleship, Sarah Jenkins wrote about the fluff that permeates so much published material targeting Christian women. She urges women to abandon books, blogs, and podcasts light on Scripture...

Exegesis. What in the world is that anyway? Is it something only pastors or Bible study leaders have to think about? Is it something too difficult for the average person? The answer to the previous two questions is a resounding no! Exegesis is the process of...

Everyone is an expert these days about everything! From the origins of the coronavirus to the latest politics, someone out there has the correct answer, and that someone is usually you. With quarantines and stay-at-home orders, we have a lot of extra time on our...

Once a week, I stand before a host of international students, teaching them the English language as best as I can. Pre-Covid, forty-eight nations were represented, but that number has decreased quite a bit. The handful that still come are diligent and eager to...

I was recently grieved to see an ad targeting Christian women with the selling point that its product included pre-selected Scriptures, to make getting in God’s Word easier than ever. How is it a benefit to be relieved of the burden of opening one’s Bible, to be...

My children are experts at distractions. It’s easy to tell when their minds are wandering. Spelling words become doodles.  Piano scale practice sounds like banging.  I have to tap their shoulder before they hear me. Distractions are unavoidable in life, no matter...

Your eyes pass over the final words of the chapter, concluding today’s Bible reading. You make a mark on your Bible reading plan, or perhaps your own mental checklist, and prepare for the next task that begs your attention. It feels good to check off lists, right?...

It’s the beginning of the year! And you have probably heard in church, on social media, or podcasts that it’s time to start reading the Bible again. For some people, the thought of reading the entire Bible is overwhelming. Doing it in a year sounds impossible. Or...

Have you ever been in a conversation in which you barely get a word in? Every time you start a sentence, the other person finishes it for you or takes over with their own thoughts? Sadly, I am often the person doing the over-talking. I have a tendency to value my...

An alarming decline in biblical literacy in the church was the conclusion of studies conducted in the past few years. Not surprisingly, this trend continues today, signifying that more of God’s people know less of His Word. The following statistics helpfully...

As a mom, I have banned the use of the phrase “I’m bored” in our home. If you use these words, you are likely to find yourself folding laundry, vacuuming, or making beds. One of the main reasons that phrase is no longer allowed is because boredom easily becomes a...

A friend posted on Instagram a large stack of Bible commentaries with the caption, “my light reading this week.” I’ve often scorned such because they can intimidate and discourage believers who struggle to do more than read the Scriptures. Still, reading the Bible...

I became an English teacher because I loved books and wanted other people to love them as well. However, I must admit that I probably killed the joy of reading for several of my students because I expected them to “study” the books like I did. I wanted notes in the...

Do you ever get tired of reading emotionally manipulative “fluff” as a “Daily Devotional” or “biblical encouragement” for women? Does it ever bother you that the theology presented in such work is often weak and/or approaching borderline (if not outright) heresy?...