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    List of Fears

    So I’m flipping through a book to help Christian women identify and embrace their “purpose” in life and on one of the pages, there is a list of potential fears. (You’re supposed to check the ones that apply to you.) The list includes things like abandonment, breast cancer, confrontation, dying young, enclosed spaces, flying, giving a speech, heights, rejection, snakes, and talking to a stranger. Funny–the list doesn’t include cooking. Maybe I’m the only one? 🙂   PS I’m actually doing better making dinners! I did one of those “make 12 meals in 2 hours” thing-a-ma-jigs and it’s working for us. Fun fun! Can’t eat cereal for dinner forever, eh?…

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    Ethics & 22-Year-Olds

    One of my favorite undergrad classes (at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois) was an ethics course by Dr. Paul Jensen. Probably the smartest student in my entire graduating class (a woman named Jennifer W.) typed up a number of (at least to me) interesting and/or HYSTERICAL comments that she had recorded from the class. Thought they might give you a chuckle or two, so here goes … (Can you picture us? 22 years old? 1992? Too funny!) – “The ethics of choice for many Americans is an unexamined sort of moral relativism.” – (On the influence of Margaret Mead’s “cooked data”) … “It’s amazing what lies can do.” – “In…

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    Sound Theology Takes a Load Off!

    In a ‘Peanuts’ cartoon, Lucy and Linus are looking out the window at a steady downpour of rain. ‘Boy,’ said Lucy, ‘look at it rain. What if it floods the whole world?’ ‘It will never do that,’ Linus replies confidently. ‘In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that it would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow ‘ ‘You’ve taken a great load off my mind,’ says Lucy with a relieved smile.   ‘Sound theology,’ states Linus, ‘has a way of doing that!’ (With thanks to Mr. Schulz!)  

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    Witnessing to Jehovah’s Witnesses?

    I once asked a favorite Sunday school teacher (and professor and “spiritual father” to me in undergrad.) how he engages Jehovah’s Witnesses in discussion when they come to his door to proselytize. (Back then at least), this was his “plan”: 1. Explain to them what THEY believe: There is one God (“Jehovah”)–I agree! And it it not possible for there to be more than one God–I agree! And that Jesus is the archangel Michael incarnate and he died on a torture stick. 2. Ask them to please explain Orthodox Christianity. (Usually, they don’t know or they are incorrect in their explanations.) 3. Explain Orthodox Christianity to them while saying, “I’ve…

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    Christlike Dialogue

    While listening to Jeff Rosenau tape on Christlike Dialogue, a woman running for local office knocked on my door and asked for my support. She was (by her own terms) a “liberal” … liberal Christian, liberal Democrat, etc. etc. And of course (although I really eschew using such labels), I could probably be rightly described as a “wacko conservative.” But we enjoyed wonderful fellowship and dispassionate dialogue. We have SO many things in common! So many similar goals — but VERY different opinions about the best ways to accomplish them.   She was an absolute delight! And I truly appreciate her willingness to walk door to door in the rain…

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    Elizabeth Still Trusts in God

    Did you read this article in Christianity Today about a young girl named Elizabeth? Again–as I continue to review notes & articles that I’ve filed over the years–I was astounded by the mercy of God even in the midst of abject horror. (Quoting excerpts from the article … “Elizabeth, a Christian teenager, was forcibly confined to a brothel, where for about $250 a man purchased the right to take away her virginity. She was held in the brothel for seven months, where she was raped by customer after customer. Elizabeth had written on the wall of her prison in her own language: “Ps 27:1. The Lord is my light and…

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    “My Life for Yours”

    Yesterday, feeling ill with a cold/flu and yet trying to be “productive” on a work-around-the-house-family-day Saturday, I spent nine hours archiving & purging & organizing files. (Every system needs maintenance, right? 🙂 ) I found MANY articles / notes / letters / cards … just things that I have kept for various reasons … sentimental memories, ideas for future projects/blogs, research for the future, etc. One of them was one that I assume you heard about way back in the late 90’s … but it so touched me (again!) that I thought I’d bring it to your attention again. Do you remember the testimony of Jane Stillson? She was the…

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    Please pray!

    I just learned that Dr. Paul Tripp’s daughter was seriously injured last week in a pedestrian (his daughter!)-SUV accident. Please pray for this dear brother in the Lord and his precious family! You can read the details of the accident and how the Tripps are doing here: NicoleNews   Thank you, friends! — tkb  

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    A Proverb a Day

    I was recently purging my files (ahhhh — hanging file folders and electronic subdirectories too!) and I read through a file that I just call, “Practical Helps.” In it, I found a document that reminded me of a time in my Christian walk when a friend recommended that I read one Proverb a day for a month and then PRAY through that Proverb. It was an excellent exercise that I have since repeated and I encourage you to consider doing so too! 🙂 Here are some examples from my notes: Proverbs 22: Lord, please help me to be humble and fear you. Please help me to have a pure heart…

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    Hi Florida!!

    Just a note to say hello to my new friends in Florida! And to thank you for the joy of serving at your women’s retreat this past weekend. I hope we can visit again this side of Heaven! With love,  Tara B.