One Reason to Read

It's better to learn from the mistakes of fictional characters than to make the mistakes yourself.     Photo by Dieterich01 on Pixabay.

Answers for the Quiet Heart

Very early this morning I asked God why He had allowed some very painful things to occur in my life. I wasn't angry with Him, and I wasn't insecure about His love for me. I wasn't questioning His involvement or His purposes for my life. I did not ask out of indignation nor out of...

A Forgiving God, from the perspective of a Criminal Justice major

Forgiveness: A definition Forgiveness is an often misunderstood word. We confuse it with condonation, we confuse it with trust, and we confuse it with justification. To condone someone is to ignore or overlook a wrong. To trust someone is to rely on that person. To justify someone is to excuse an action or claim that...

Childlike & Wise

Have you ever met someone with a childlike spirit? First, we should all recognize that there is a world of difference between childish and childlike. Childish is what no one wants to be around. Childlike is someone who shares a purity of heart, a ready love, an innocent joy, and a never-ending sense of wonder...

Depths of Thought: The Purpose Stripped Life

In Sunday School today my class was asked what in our lives would devastate us if it were taken away. The theme was about loving Jesus for who He is rather than loving more the gifts He gives us. Most answers started with family then went on to health and jobs and such. My first...

Depths of Thought: Changing God’s Mind

“God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” - Numbers 23:19 “For I, the LORD, do not change…” - Malachi 3:6 “Every good thing given...

Depths of Thought: Shortcut to Perfection

I love fiction. I learn much through fiction, whether it is made by Christians or non. There always seem to be threads of truth lurking somewhere within, even if the ones who created the fiction have strong beliefs in lies. One thing I’ve noticed recently is how much modern fiction seems to include a search...

Depths of Thought: Judging Thyself

Most people have a problem with mixed bags. That’s a problem, because most people are mixed bags. We aren’t all good or all bad. Our actions aren’t always good or always bad. Mass murderers are capable of kindness. Gentle-hearted philanthropists are capable of cruelty. At times it feels as though we are at war with...

Depths of Thought: The Successful Life

What does a successful life look like? Something big, like being rich and famous? Something simpler, like being loved? Something basic, like having one's life "together"? How about this one: Having the time and ability to do what we enjoy? So often we measure our lives to the ideal of what we think life should...

Depths of Thought: Perspective on Problems

The most challenging question I’ve been asked today is, “How would Jesus act if He were you?” I know that brings to mind the WWJD trend of the 90’s, but it’s still a question worth asking. That really struck my heart today. If Jesus were in my shoes, how would He behave? What would be...

The Last Battle

Pride and love cannot long commingle. One will destroy the other before the end.       Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

Depths of Thought: Authorship

I don’t worry when I’m watching a television series because I know there is an author. When I’m watching or reading a story, it’s all about if I trust the author or not. For my stories, I want readers to trust me. I only write happy endings with worthwhile lessons along the way. I love...