The image above depicts the artist’s vision of heaven on earth, packed with saints looking down on the doge (ruler) of Venice as inspiration to make wise decisions on behalf of the Venetians. When I took the photo on my recent trip to Italy, I noted “Heaven looks … crowded.” Heaven is getting crowded with people I love. The Bible tells us that eternity will be full of the faithful through the ages—those we’d love to meet and those we... Read more
What role does an aunt or uncle, along with parents’ single friends, play in the lives of children? I wangled today’s post from my very busy, very talented friend Nika Spaulding, who spends her days pastoring, podcasting, and studying—unless she’s sneaking off to create the best kind of aunt chaos. In October thirteen years ago, the tectonic plates underneath me shook and rocked my whole world. Suddenly I had new fears I had never considered before, new dreams birthed out... Read more
My guest today is Dr. Sandra Glahn, author of the forthcoming (October 10, 2023) book, Nobody’s Mother, which I’ve wholeheartedly endorsed. I love Wonder Woman. But I’m less of a fan of the goddess Diana, that is, Artemis, on whom the Wonder Woman character is based. But one thing I do love about Artemis is this: knowledge about her helps me understand parts of the New Testament (NT). The NT writers, while seeing the Greek gods as false, certainly didn’t... Read more
In the first Republican presidential primary debate in mid-August 2023, candidates were asked, “Do you believe human behavior is causing global warming?” Did the moderators want helpful ideas on what to do about climate change? Methinks not. Rather than ask the question in order to facilitate a discussion on policy, they phrased it to elicit a target to blame. Candidates answered according to how they believed voters would want them to. “Climate change is a hoax,” (Ramaswamy) or “We don’t... Read more
Pastors, have you ever wanted your church members and volunteer leaders to have a more thorough theological foundation? We need more than adults who have never moved past the Bible stories and moral lessons found in children and youth ministries. We need leaders who know their Bibles, their orthodox theology, and practical ways to live and model mature spirituality. The answer is not “send everyone to seminary.” But what if the seminary could come to you? For free?! Let me... Read more
I am famous in my family for looking for an item I’ve “lost” only to come back later and discover it sitting in plain sight. “Where did this come from?” I will ask indignantly, as if my husband or children surreptitiously placed it there after I’d left the room. Only, it had been there all along, and I just couldn’t see it. Why? It had become part of the setting, so common and present that it was virtually invisible. But... Read more
It’s still summer, so you have time to finish reading a few extra books waiting in your TBR (to be read) pile. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. As a doctoral student, I am compelled by my professors to read about theology, methodology, interpretation, and biblical studies. To stay sane, I intersperse the heavy stuff with historical novels and the occasional witty-banter romance. Over the last two months, these six theologically-minded books have made me think, question, exclaim, and... Read more
For six seasons, TV fans enjoyed the guilty pleasure of rooting for the good-looking, affable detective hero of the hit show “Lucifer.” Why guilty? Because the hero, Lucifer Morningstar, was actually the devil, that powerful angel tossed from heaven because—according to show notes—he was bored of being Lord of Hell. Friends talking about the show would joke, “It feels a little weird rooting for the devil!” Why Lucifer? TV Lucifer is cleverly named. Writers seem to have consulted the Bible.... Read more
Animals. Birds. Insects. Trees. Flowers. Childhood. Family. Melinda Whitten’s art will make you smile—and gasp. One of my desires for this blog site was that it include art of many kinds—poetic, wise, visual, audible, and more. I tend to focus on writing and books since that’s what I know best, but music and visual arts feed my soul, too. Today, we’re getting colorful and creative! Melinda Whitten captures the whimsy of God’s creation in the hand-drawn, customized watercolors she shares... Read more
Are you wondering what a book proposal is, or have you attempted to write one? Are you hoping to publish a book, especially in the Christian market? Don’t know how to get started? Often, prospective authors get caught in a whirlwind of questions: Agent or direct-to-publisher? Proposal or query? Professional editor or friends who are good with words? When can I quit my day job? My friend Mary DeMuth, a multi-published author and literary agent, has put her years of... Read more
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