READ: PSALM 32:1-5; 1 JOHN 1:7-9; 4:18 I watched as a droplet of shimmery liquid slipped to the floor. Regrettably, I realized too late that I shouldn’t have painted my nails while sitting on the carpet. What would my landlord say about this mistake? The carpet had looked new when I moved into the apartment. Would he charge [...]

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 4:6-7 Have you ever visited a bulk food store for groceries? More and more of these environmentally-conscious shops are popping up as a way to help reduce waste and save money. There are lots of items you can buy in bulk from big bins and dispensers, instead of buying these same items [...]

READ: PSALM 55:22; MATTHEW 11:28-30; 1 PETER 5:7 Have you ever had an ache or pain that wouldn’t go away? It can be utterly exhausting—physically, mentally, and emotionally. I experienced this when I was pregnant with my son. Especially in the last few months of pregnancy, my belly was HUGE. It was so big that people [...]

READ: COLOSSIANS 3:12-17; 1 PETER 3:15 Have you ever wondered how to go about sharing your faith with friends and family? It can be scary and a bit confusing, but God is ready to help us. Sharing Jesus with others involves more than talking. It involves the ways our whole lives—both our words and our [...]

READ: ISAIAH 2:1-5; 9:6; ROMANS 3:23-24; JOHN 14:25-29 Have you ever wondered why there is always a war going on somewhere? War causes so much death, so much destruction. It ravages the land, destroying plants, animals, and towns...but the greatest tragedy of war is the loss of human life. From powerful leaders to low-ranking soldiers [...]

READ: EXODUS 17:7-15; ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12 Standing on the peak of the mountain outcropping, Shalish scanned the battlefield. The noonday sun glinted off armor as the battle raged on in the valley below. Lord Nissi, the great voice who had led them through both sea and desert, had trained Shalish and several of her friends for years. But [...]

READ: PSALM 23; JOHN 10:10-16 Shepherds were not held in high regard in ancient Israel. They spent most of their time outdoors, the sheep didn’t smell great, and the job could be pretty dull...until it wasn’t. One part of a shepherd’s job was to defend the flock against wild animals looking for a meal. Shepherds had [...]

READ: ZEPHANIAH 3:17; JOHN 3:16; EPHESIANS 2:8-10 "Does God really love me?” If we’re honest, this is a question we ask often. And the answer is a resounding yes! God loves us very much! But what do we do when it doesn’t feel like God loves us? One thing we can do is remember the [...]

READ: EPHESIANS 1:4-14; 2:4-10; 4:21-25 I am a full-fledged adult, and I still don’t feel like I know what to do when I let people down. Of course, I understand that we live in a world that’s been broken by sin so we all hurt others, whether intentionally or unintentionally. That’s just part of life until [...]

READ: GENESIS 1:27; PSALM 139:13-16; EPHESIANS 5:1-4 The human body is amazing! Did you know that the human heart, which is only about as big as a clenched fist, pumps over 4,000 gallons of blood a day? Or that human eyes are protected by seven interlocking bones? Or that the palms of your hands are [...]