Hebrews 4:1-13 Susan, a life-long learner, has taken on Shakespeare, determined to learn all she can about the bard’s writings and why people today think he still has much to offer. She tries to read the texts and watches various stage productions. She is making progress, but still finds it obscure. “What I need is […]

Titus 1:1-9 My parents married 86 years ago today. The Depression and Dust Bowl were still wreaking havoc in northwestern Kansas, but they came from families who read the Bible and prayed daily and went to church every Sunday. They entered marriage with these same values.  Twelve years later, and now with four children, they […]

2 Peter 1:12-21 Elizabeth Carter Howell was a recorded Quaker minister in northwestern Kansas. She never missed an opportunity to share the gospel, especially with her own family and friends.  During her later years, the extended family gathered annually to celebrate her birthday. Forty-four people attended her 86th birthday party in 1931. The local newspaper […]

Psalm 119:9-16 I am not a fan of snow. One reason is driving. Often, if you drive carefully, snow is not a problem. However, there are times when everything is covered, the snow is still falling, and you just can’t see the road. You drive carefully, hoping you are still on the road. Some locations […]

1 John 4:7-16 Have you ever had a person who acted like he or she was your friend, but was also, in some ways, an enemy or rival? If so, that person could be considered your “frenemy,” or “friend/enemy.” Many of us have experienced something like a frenemy. 1 John 4 is very clear: we […]

1 John 3:11-24 Much of middle school gym class is unremarkable. Until the boys were playing dodgeball. You couldn’t miss the distinct “smack” of the rubber playground ball against the gym walls. When dodgeball was played, an unmistakable “us verses them” mentality was observable. Each player was out to get the others before he was […]

James 1:19-27 Recently, I’ve been making a great effort to downsize. Over the years, I’ve acquired many items I once found invaluable but which now have been relegated to the backs of cupboards and closets. So I’ve begun the hard work of getting rid of items I no longer want or use. Decluttering our possessions […]

John 6:46-57 Bread is a staple of practically every culture in every era. Who hasn’t gone to an Italian restaurant and been met with the mouth-watering aroma of the garlic breadsticks? Not your thing? What about the flatbread holding slices of spiced meat, onions, and tzatziki sauce on your gyro sandwich? Then there’s the naan […]

Colossians 3:12-25 I love to go for walks on my lunch hour. However, in the deep of winter, it can be a challenge. The average temperature outside often hovers around freezing. That’s about the bottom limit of my tolerance for walking outdoors! Choosing what to wear in the mornings can be difficult, knowing that I […]

Colossians 3:1-11 Christmas season is always a bustle of activity—parties, shopping, decorating, gatherings of family and friends. Even as we’ve found other ways to accomplish all of this since the worldwide pandemic changed our lives (online shopping, Zoom gatherings), we have all still kept busy with our holiday plans. The celebration of Christ’s birth is […]