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Taking Shortcuts
Sipping her tea, Nancy gazed out her friend’s window and sighed. Spring rains and sunshine had coaxed a riotous expanse of color from a well-groomed flowerbed of lilies, phlox, irises, and evening primrose.
“I want that look,” she said wistfully, “without all the work.”
Some shortcuts are fine—even practical. Others short-circuit our spirit and deaden our lives. We want romance without the difficulties and messiness of committing to someone so different from ourselves. We want “greatness” without the risks and failures necessary in the adventure of real life. We desire to please God, but not when it inconveniences us.
Jesus…
Cleaning House
Recently, I switched rooms in the home I rent. This took longer than expected, because I didn’t want to simply transfer my (extensive) mess to a new room; I wanted a completely fresh and uncluttered start. After hours and hours of cleaning and sorting, bags of stuff sat by the front door to be thrown away, donated, or recycled. But at the end of this exhausting process was a beautiful room I was excited to spend time in.
My housecleaning project gave me a fresh perspective when reading 1 Peter 2:1, as paraphrased in The Message: “So, clean house! Make a…
“The Glory Effect”
Today on Discover the Word, the group joins author and speaker Nicole Unice for another installment of the series titled, “The Glory Effect.” Today’s topic is about the transformation you can experience when you truly encounter the glory of God. Listen right here on Discover the Word!
Is Dressing Modestly Overrated?
I’ve always felt uneasy about the topic of modesty. Growing up in church, I heard many different rules and principles about modesty. However, I often had difficulty accepting some of them—something I know other Christian girls have dealt with as well.
What If I’m Not Sure What to Do With My Life?
“What is your advice to people who do not know what they want to do with their lives yet?” I was recently asked this question by a polytechnic student at my alma mater when I was there to share about getting into law school and studying law.
Driven by God
A few months ago I received an email inviting me to join a community of “driven people.’ I decided to look up the word driven, and I learned that a driven person is someone highly motivated to succeed and who will work hard to achieve his goals.
Is it good to be a driven person? There is a test that never fails: “Do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). Many times we do things for self-glory. After the flood in Noah’s day, a group of people decided to build a tower in order to “make a name”…
Why Elisabeth Elliot Matters
A prolific speaker and writer, Elisabeth was one of the most influential Christian women of our time, best known for her writings about missions, gender roles, romance, and living right with God.
Confessions of an Unexpected Pageant King
I’m a natural introvert. I shy away from large groups, avoid opportunities to stand out, and feel my energy drain very quickly whenever attention is lavished on me.
Why I Said No to Clubbing
Growing up in a Christian family, I was the typical good girl. I was obedient and submissive. When I was younger, I made all my choices and decisions based on the nodding (or shaking) of my parents’ heads. So, as you would imagine, even my fashion choices were wholly based on my mother’s style.
Let Honor Meet Honor
I’ve always been impressed by the solemn, magnificent simplicity of the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. The carefully choreographed event is a moving tribute to soldiers whose names—and sacrifice—are “known but to God.” Equally moving are the private moments of steady pacing when the crowds are gone: back and forth, hour after hour, day by day, in even the worst weather.
In September 2003, Hurricane Isabel was bearing down on Washington, DC, and the guards were told they could seek shelter during the worst of the storm. Surprising almost no one, the…
Why Am I Disappointed in Ministry?
I’ve always believed that hard work pays off. Sacrifices must be made—be it time, entertainment, or sleep—if results are to be expected. It is therefore no surprise to hear how many would stay up late to complete their assignments, edit their masterpieces, or study for an exam. I apply this attitude to both my studies and my involvement in Christian ministry.
So You Think You Have the Best Bucket List?
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Recently my sons’ school principal addressed his students with this line from Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day”, recognizing that with their best years lying ahead of them, life was full of wonder and possibility.
My Identity Crisis: All I Wanted Was to Fit In
I spent a large part of my adolescence searching for my identity as if it were a lost item to be found. I suppose it was because a large part of my childhood and early teenage years was spent moving between various states in Malaysia before settling in Auckland, New Zealand.
When My Hard Work Amounted to Nothing
I know people who are avid fans of Japanese author Haruki Murakami—his most notable books include Norwegian Wood and 1Q84. But while I don’t understand the extent of their fanaticism, I do see why Murakami’s works are so well-received
Living With Lions
When I visited a museum in Chicago, I saw one of the original Striding Lions of Babylon. It was a large mural-type image of a winged lion with a ferocious expression. Symbolizing Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and war, the lion I saw was an example of 120 similar lions that would have lined a Babylonian pathway during the years of 604-562 bc.
Historians say that after the Babylonians defeated Jerusalem, the Hebrew captives would have seen these lions during their time in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom. Historians also say it’s likely that some of the Israelites would have believed Ishtar had defeated…
