My Husband May Get a Lump of Coal This Christmas

Last updated on: November 30, 2023 at 11:08 am By Ellen Fannon

Where Did the Idea of Christmas Gift-Giving Originate? I had always believed that the tradition of gift-giving on Christmas originated with the wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus. Much to my surprise, I discovered that gift-giving actually had pagan origins. Long before Jesus was born, pagans were giving gifts during Saturnalia, an ancient Roman pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn. The holiday, which occurred near the winter solstice, gave us many of the traditions we now associate with... Read more

Theology 101: Man Should Not Live Alone With Bread

Last updated on: November 14, 2023 at 12:15 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

My Preschooler’s Takeaway On His Sunday School Lesson “What did you learn in Sunday school today?” I asked my preschooler as we drove home from church. “Man should not live alone with bread,” he replied. I pondered his answer for a moment. “Do you mean man should not live by bread alone?” I asked. He shrugged. “Yeah, something like that.” “Do you know what it means?” I prodded. Driving with a captive preschooler was a good time to instill spiritual... Read more

My Painful Rejection at Barnes and Noble

Last updated on: November 20, 2023 at 8:50 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

A Prophet and An Author Are Rejected in Their Hometowns The Bible tells us in Luke 4:24 that Jesus, after being rejected in his hometown, replied with the words, “No prophet is accepted in his hometown.” I have always been somewhat baffled by the fact that the Jews were anxiously looking for the Messiah, and when He showed up, they didn’t recognize Him. Still, in their defense, I might have been a bit skeptical too, if I had played hide-and-seek... Read more

Marriage Incompatibility: The Battle of the Thermostat

Last updated on: November 21, 2023 at 1:39 am By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

Were Adam and Eve Perfectly Compatible Before the Fall? I sometimes wonder if when God made Adam and Eve they were perfectly compatible before the Fall. For example, they were both naked in the beginning, and I’m guessing Eve didn’t complain that it was too cold while Adam vigorously fanned himself with a fig leaf because of the heat. After the Fall, did Eve require twice the number of animal skins as Adam to keep warm? Is the inevitable pairing... Read more

My Body is a Temple: A Decrepit, Crumbling Ruin

Last updated on: November 6, 2023 at 11:16 am By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

My body is a temple? More Like a Crumbling Ruin Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, NIV.) The Bible tells me my body is a temple. I’m not quite sure how to take that. I think, in my case, my temple is more of a... Read more

Free Candy? Why I Love Halloween

Last updated on: October 23, 2023 at 12:12 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

Halloween Means Free Candy Regardless of all the conflicting religious views on Halloween, I loved Halloween as a child when I could dress up and get free candy. It was a time of fun and innocence without all the Satanic undertones. This was back in the olden days when children dressed up in costumes usually created by their mothers, such as an old bedsheet with two eyes cut out for a ghost. There were none of these foo-foo outfits, such... Read more

Secrets to Successful Biblical Writing: Goat Hide and Fish Bones

Last updated on: October 23, 2023 at 12:07 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

Step One: Goat Hide I sometimes wonder how the writers of Scripture managed to get their words down on parchment or papyrus or whatever they had available to write on. Imagine having to get hide from an animal before sitting down to write those words that the Lord gave you before they went out of your head. Of course, things could have been worse. Some verses in Ezekiel and Jeremiah were written on clay. Some parts of Exodus, Deuteronomy, and... Read more

Did Baal, The Fertility God, Need an Urgent Bathroom Break?

Last updated on: October 10, 2023 at 12:04 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

Elijah and the prophets of Baal – An Amusing Biblical Story The story of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, found in 1 Kings 18:17-40, is one the most amusing stories in the Bible. To give you some background, King Ahab, of the northern kingdom of Israel, married a heathen woman named Jezebel, who henpecked and corrupted him to allow the worship of Baal and Asherah, a pagan fertility god and goddess. This did not sit well... Read more

Lord, Can You Send Martha Over to Clean My House?

Last updated on: September 27, 2023 at 4:29 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

Are You a Martha Trying to Live in a Mary World? Lord, I want to be like Mary today, but can you send Martha over to clean my house? I found that quote during extensive research on Google, and it so perfectly fits my personality I just had to share it. Now be honest. How many women can relate? I believe there are a lot of us Marthas trying to do our best in a Mary world. After all, someone... Read more

Improved Mental Health Benefits Linked to Spirituality

Last updated on: October 3, 2023 at 12:11 pm By Ellen Fannon

0 Comments

How Can I Be Joyful When I’m Depressed? Today, I am veering away from humor in recognition of World Mental Health Day. Inherently, as Christians, we often have the mindset that we should be continually joyful regardless of our circumstances. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV). But in reality, we live in a fallen world, and Christians are as vulnerable to depression and other mental disorders... Read more

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which letter wraps up with the reminder, "Let everything be done decently and in order"?

Select your answer to see how you score.