Jesus Loves the Little Children

{This post is a bit more personal, but I thought it might still be an encouragement to be reminded of God’s love and our great need.} Jesus loved little children. The gospel writers tell us about his love in their recounting Jesus’ life. When people brought their children to him to have Jesus lay his…

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We Thought We “Hung the Moon”

My kids’ history and science lessons recently coincided to study the landing of the first man on the Moon on July 20, 1969. It was fascinating to again read about and then re-watch Neil Armstrong’s first “small step for man,” and “giant leap for mankind.” Armstrong’s famous first footprint in the fine dust of the…

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Evaluating the Hearts of our “Church Kids”

Christian parents have the responsibility and privilege to bring their children up “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:1–4). One of the challenges—perhaps the most difficult—is teaching our children not only to obey, but also to love God. Children who grow up in Christian homes and churches are somewhat similar to children…

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Bearing the Name of God

I have been studying 1 Kings, and it has been very interesting to read about the construction of the temple, especially after having studied the construction of the tabernacle in the book of Exodus. Sometimes the details feel a bit dry, but other times the details can bring out themes that can be seen throughout…

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Hail the Sun of Righteousness

My favorite Christmas hymn is “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” written by Charles Wesley. I love its rich truths about Christ and the gospel. The text is based on many different passages in Scripture. In the first stanza, Wesley poetically summarizes the angels’ message to the shepherds that Christ, the newborn King, had been born…

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Prayers for Your Pastor/Husband

I pray for my husband but not nearly as much as I should. I pray generically for him to have grace and strength in life, and I pray for some certain situations or struggles that I know of. But it never seems quite adequate. Sometimes I just don’t know how to pray for my husband…

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A Tale of Two Sons and a Negligent Father

In Ephesians 6:1-3 God commands children to obey and honor their parents and fathers to discipline and instruct their children in the Lord. A child who obeyed generally lived a long life, a promise first given to Israel in Exodus 20:12. The sons of Eli the priest serve as dire examples of lives cut short…

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The Biblical Role of a Pastor’s Wife

When I was proof-reading my husband’s master’s thesis on pastoral transitions, I started to think again about the biblical role of a pastor’s wife. As I read through his paper, I saw a good pattern for establishing a biblical perspective on a debated issue. The role of a pastor’s wife has been debated by many…

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