Shiloh appears 33 times in the Old Testament, yet most Christians couldn’t tell you what it is or why it matters. Is it a person? A place? A prophetic title? The answer is yes to all three, depending on which biblical passage you’re reading. This creates confusion that prevents people from understanding some of Scripture’s … Read more
Nobody asks about the slave girl. When people teach about Abraham and Sarah, Hagar appears as a footnote. The Egyptian servant who carried Abraham’s child. The woman Sarah mistreated. The mother who ran away. A supporting character in someone else’s story. But God gave Hagar something He gave no one else in all of Scripture: … Read more
Ambition isn’t a dirty word in Scripture. Joseph dreamed of ruling before he ever ruled Egypt. David prepared for kingship years before wearing the crown. Paul pursued excellence in ministry with the same intensity he’d once pursued Christians to imprison them. Priscilla and Aquila built a thriving business while advancing the gospel. These were ambitious … Read more
Christianity makes a promise most other religions don’t: if you follow God, your life will include suffering. Not might include. Will include. Guaranteed. Psalm 34:19 doesn’t say “some righteous people face occasional difficulties.” It says many afflictions will come to the righteous. Plural. Frequent. Expected. This contradicts everything prosperity gospel preachers teach and everything our … Read more
I was the most spiritually mature person in the room. Or so I thought. I’d been leading Bible studies for years. I prayed eloquently in public. People came to me for spiritual advice. I knew Scripture well and could defend my theology against any challenge. Then I watched myself correct a new believer’s prayer during … Read more
The funeral director asked if I wanted a Scripture reading. I nodded, numb. My grandmother had died two days earlier, and I was making arrangements I’d never imagined making. He pulled out a binder of common funeral verses and pointed to John 11:25: “I am the resurrection and the life.” I’d heard that verse at … Read more
I attended three different communion services in one month. Catholic Mass on Sunday morning. Protestant service Wednesday evening. Orthodox Divine Liturgy on Saturday. Same sacred meal. Completely different prayers. The Catholic priest consecrated the elements with ancient liturgical words I’d never heard. The Protestant pastor prayed spontaneously, inviting us to remember Jesus’s sacrifice. The Orthodox … Read more
I sat at Thanksgiving dinner last year forcing a smile while my world was falling apart. Unemployment. A parent’s dementia diagnosis. A friendship that had imploded two weeks earlier. And everyone around the table taking turns sharing what they were thankful for while I struggled to think of anything besides “I’m thankful this day will … Read more
My friend texted me at midnight: “They found something on the scan. I’m terrified.” I wanted to text back the perfect prayer. Something powerful and faith-filled that would fix everything. But I sat staring at my phone, realizing I didn’t actually know how to pray for healing in a way that honored both God’s power … Read more
I’d been avoiding God for three months when I finally broke. Not because I wanted to. Because I ran out of ways to numb the guilt. The thing I’d done sat in my chest like a stone, growing heavier every day I pretended it wasn’t there. One Tuesday morning, sitting in my car before work, … Read more