When I was a kid, sometimes I doubted whether I had holy spirit. That’s typical, I guess…when you’re raised around a certain spiritual term and you finally hit that age where you start trying to grasp the esoteric implications of it. It just didn’t connect with me for a long time what holy spirit was […]

Spending a year looking deep into the Book of Ephesians with family, friends, and brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ taught me a lot. It taught me about the depths and richness of the story God built into this world and this life; about our standing with God, with Jesus, with each other; […]

NOTE: This blog was written by the talented and inspired Roberta Dougherty. We are so thankful for her contribution to this blog and pray it is a tremendous blessing to you all. “Behold how patient the great God is, waiting for ages for those simple steps in the progress of things which change the world; […]

NOTE: This blog was written by the talented and inspired Roberta Dougherty. We are so thankful for her contribution to this blog and pray it is a tremendous blessing to you all. My husband pushes me out the door to walk with him, but I cannot see though my tears without Stella, my other dog, […]

Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk about the importance of not letting your promise just be a promise or your words just be words. I’m as guilty of this as anyone: after hearing about something someone is going through or hoping for or is in need of guidance about, I tell them I’ll […]

Ah, the never-ending, wild race of life. I can smell it from the moment I roll out of bed at 4:30am. It has the tinge of fresh coffee, open windows, and the breath of a hungry cat or three (pleasant). From the time I get up in the morning until 12 hours later when I […]

It’s likely happened to each of us at some point in our lives. Upon finding ourselves in a situation that made us uncomfortable in one way or another, we were relieved to see someone else who made us feel safe. Maybe we knew them—maybe we didn’t. But something about them made us think, “Ah! There’s […]

I knew something was wrong the moment I walked inside. The distinct lack of our ten-year-old dog, Bay, coming to greet me—that was clue number one. Clue number two came in the form of a packet of gum with several pieces ripped out, lying in the middle of the living room floor. Some bits half-chewed. […]

Every day we are surrounded by discomfort. Every day we’re faced with the ways the world rejects the precepts of Yahweh and chooses to go down its own path. Every day we’re faced with the commission to make disciples within a world where barriers are already erected against people of faith. Some predispositions are fabricated […]

“Hey, Renee, can you come here for a sec?” I can’t help it. The second my husband says my name, even in such a casual way, I tense up. Hearing him use my full name—not “babe”, not “angel”, not “love” or any of the other pet names I’m used to—makes me feel like a kid […]