Jesus redefines what true siblinghood means. First, he calls HIMSELF our brother (Mark 3:31-35), then he builds a church filled with strangers who are made family in him. People who are only children are given brothers and sisters through the church, and biological siblings are enabled to love each other beyond their familial ties. There's no savior like Jesus!
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FamilyLife is offering you a FREE DEVOTIONAL video series based on my 5-week interview with them. It’s called Unseen.
Life can feel lonely and overwhelming. Still, your life is both seen and cherished. God is working fiercely behind the scenes of your life. He worked to bring astonishing triumphs to the lives of four historical characters who faced devastating, alienating, and even life-threatening situations. Friend, God is working!
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The Gift of Complementarity
What does a complementarian household looks like? How does a husband’s godly leadership in the home lead to the flourishing of his wife and children? How is complementarity in the home is a gift to a wife? It’s an honor to chat about these questions with the hosts of Priscilla Talk, a 9Marks podcast. Click to LISTEN!
Why We Remember Lot’s Wife
Lot’s wife belonged to a family with a great name and trust in God’s promises. She even had angels visit her home! God sent them to personally escort her from His coming wrath to His safety (Gen.19:1-22). Yet, she fell into eternal judgment because she looked back to her life in Sodom. She longed to preserve what she had and became a pillar of salt–a crystalline substance used for preservation (Gen. 19:26). Friends, Jesus is kind to warns us in Luke 17:32-33: “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.”
Prayers Rising Like a Sweet Aroma
Cornelius’ conversion account can teach us many things about the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles in the first century church. We see in this story that God’s salvation through Christ is for all the families of the earth. God shows no partiality but comes to redeem people from all nations. All this is true. But my focus today is on that small line in verse four. It makes me wonder: what if my service and prayers to God were like a memorial offering rising up as a pleasing aroma before His throne?
A Women's Teaching Lab
The Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) has launched a Women’s Teaching Lab! The course began in the fall of 2021 and will continue spring 2022. Its purpose is to equip women for their various teaching roles in the local church, with a focus on both small-group and large-group formats. Students, whether taking the course for credit or auditing, will have the opportunity for practice teaching and feedback. I have the joy of being an instructor for this course, along with the excellent faculty members of RTS Washington. If you are a woman in the D.C. area who teaches the Bible or aspires to do so, please do consider this equipping resource!
Below is a link to the RST website where you can find information on upcoming classes. Also provided is a link to a podcast episode where I chat with the faculty about the Women’s Teaching Lab!
How to Develop & Teach a Bible Study Lesson
I’ve been listening to Christine Hoover’s By Faith podcast for years, so it was a joy to join her as a guest. We talked about teaching the Bible and how teachers can be equipped to make progress as Paul encourages in 1 Timothy 4:11-12 . I’ve always admired Christine’s excellent interviewing skills. She asked some GREAT questions that got us down to the basics of preparing for a talk (see some of her questions below).
I also had a chance to share a little about my coming book: The Seed of the Woman! I had a blast chatting with Christine and hope that joy encourages you as you listen to our conversation today!
Some of Christine’s excellent questions!
Let's start with the heart. Teachers must approach their study and teaching with the right motivation and goal. What is that? How have you wrestled with that?
What about insecurity? How do you navigate insecurity and/or the idea of not having anything worthwhile to say?
Can you then take us through your process of studying? How do you study in preparation to teach?
How can we begin to formulate an outline or manuscript?
What process do you go through to finalize your talk? How do you know it's "done"?
What are some skills we should consider as important for the actual presentation of the talk?
Finally, how can we respond when there is 1) no feedback and we think we bombed 2) someone says they appreciated it and we recognize pride rising in our hearts?
Confess Your Sins—and Sing!
Psalm 32 doesn’t make light of sin. At the same time, it reminds us that God’s grace is bigger than the ugliest sin we could acknowledge. The passage teaches at least three truths: 1) We sin in both big and small ways; 2) our unconfessed sins bring heavy consequences; and 3) full confession brings complete forgiveness and joy in God’s presence.
Continue at Journeywomen Blog
Old Testament Women & Christ, the Promised Seed
Old Testament Women & Christ, the Promised Seed, traces the gospel storyline through the narratives of women. From Eve at creation and the Fall, to the matriarchs of Genesis, to women at the Exodus, the time of the judges, the kings, the Exile, to the birth of Christ, we follow Old Testament history—through the stories of thirty women—as it unfolds to show us Jesus, the promised Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:1).
A Tale of Two Kings: A Conversation with Gloria Furman
Gloria Furman’s book is a gift to families. It reminds kids (and their parents) that the Bible is one book from beginning to end. It’s a story told by one divine Author on one central subject: God’s redemption of sinners through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And this Jesus is the King our families need!
I’m thankful to chat with Gloria Furman today about her helpful book. I hope you are encouraged by her words here and in A Tale of Two Kings.
Wife and Momma, Be Angry and Do Not Sin
Our household interactions can spark strong emotions and anger is high on the list. Whether it’s a disinterested husband or a defiant child, living with other sinners proves the old axiom: “those we love the most, we hurt the most.” We respond heatedly to the offenses of our family members, and Christian wives and mommas are not exempt from these outbursts. So what should we do in those moments? How can a Christian wife and mother be angry without sinning?
Let’s begin by praising God for his word and its warning against sinful anger that crouches at the doors of our hearts. The next time this rage seeks to drag me away, I hope to pray at least two truths.
Secondary Infertility: Awkward Sorrow, Useful Instructor
A woman in the grip of secondary infertility lives in a peculiar space. In all likelihood, someone at home calls her “Mommy”—and this brings an awkward sorrow. Like Rachel, holding her child can inspire both joy and a ceaseless ache for another (Gen. 30:24).
Couples—and those called to love and serve them—are often tempted to mask or trivialize the pain of secondary infertility. After all, to someone longing for children who remains childless, a couple with secondary infertility appears to be living the dream. But distinctions between types of infertility don’t justify minimizing the pain of either one.
When we fail to acknowledge the reality of our experiences, we fail to look for what God may be teaching us in them (James 1:2–4). Secondary infertility can be a useful instructor, reminding us—and our church families—of at least three truths about our God, our pain, and our hope.
Read the full article at The Gospel Coalition.
Preparing Your Heart for a New Baby: A Conversation With Sarah Dargue
“Parenting is hard…But as Paul calls us to live in light of the cross, dying to self and living for Christ, it frees us to say wholeheartedly that it’s ok to find it hard…Parenting is a wonderful illustration of the costly gospel! But as we obey the call to serve with a thankful heart, grounded at the foot of the cross each day, we are assured that this is where we will give Christ the glory, because it’s what he’s already done for us.” — Sarah Dargue
Justification Isn’t Just About Me
Loving your neighbor as yourself is a hard practice. We talk of the polarization of the broader American church—congregations across the country that are divided by faith, creed, color, and politics. Yet many of us are disconnected from people who are not across the country but across the pew. The command to love and serve—not merely tolerate—each other requires more commitment and sacrifice than we care to give, and so we do the polite minimum from afar.
Continue at Christianity Today.
Easter 2020 Devotional
I’m thankful to contribute to The Cross, a Christianity Today’s Easter 2020 devotional guide that’s designed to help individuals, families, and small groups see how the work of Christ, accomplished at the cross, is still carried forward by Christians in their daily lives. This series of 10 articles not only focuses on how Jesus' death and resurrection impact our faith theologically, but also our thoughts, actions, and relationships on a daily basis. Learn more.
How Do I Talk To My Kids About Ethnicity?
For mommas in Christ, ethnic diversity (or the lack of it) isn’t something we ignore (or only lament). Instead, we eagerly disciple our children with the hope of showing them God’s multi-ethnic design. We want little ones to develop heart-level convictions that reflect God’s Word on this topic. So how do we talk to our kids about ethnicity? We say what the Bible says: First, God made us different (and that’s good!). Second, he made us the same (and that’s important!). Third, he has made one people in Christ (and that’s forever!).
Continue at Risen Motherhood.
God Is Better Than Princesses: A Conversation with Sarah Reju
“Jesus is Lord over all of creation, even the princess stories and toys we enjoy. We should receive those things as good gifts from a good and loving God. At the same time, those good gifts should point us back to God to worship and serve him. Our culture would have us worship and serve the princess, and try to make our lives look more like the princess’ life. Jesus calls us to something so much better—loving and worshipping and serving him, so our lives come to look more and more like Jesus. So, my desire is that little ones learn to glorify God, even as they enjoy and play with his good gifts. “ - Sarah Reju
3 Reasons to Study Bible Genealogies with Kids
What if avoiding specific sections of Scripture is itself a lesson to our kids? Do we give the impression that only certain corners of the Bible are suited for families when we limit our studies to known, or easier-to-apply passages? And what fruit—if carefully gleaned—from these biblical family trees could nourish our growing disciples?
Continue at The Gospel Coalition.
Finding Rest in Advent: A Podcast Episode
I’m thankful to join a group of women on the Risen Motherhood podcast this week. Together, we share how we find rest in Christ through this season of hustle and bustle. All of the good things we do—from present shopping to craft-making—can be an overflow of a heart that’s beholding God’s goodness in this season. May the Lord help us to see God’s greatest gift, the only One able to offer us true rest: Jesus Christ.
Click HERE to listen or find the episode wherever you get your podcasts.
Teaching Children About Marriage: A Conversation with Jani Ortlund
“Children naturally have questions about marriage, real questions that deserve honest answers. In our culture, children are surrounded by confusing messages and experiences about gender, romance, and marriage. I found it hard to find resources to help the little ones in my life begin to understand these glorious, but complex issues. I wanted their earliest understanding of marriage to begin with confidence that marriage between one man and one woman for all of life is God’s very good idea and He can be trusted.” - Jani Ortlund