Have you ever lived in a small town? We raised our kids in Nappanee, IN—population 5,000. Completely surrounded by Amish farms, Nappanee is unlikely to grow larger, and I’m glad. It was the perfect place to raise a family. There were, however, a few drawbacks. One afternoon, only days after moving into our new home, we were cutting down a …
Who’s the Baby-Killin’ King?
I don’t know about you, but when I encounter a genealogy in the Bible, I’ve been known to skip the whole thing and resume reading at the narrative. Can I get an, “Amen, Sistah”? And what’s with biblical ages? Seriously. Who can keep track of folks whose lifespan is 600 years—or more? Even people like Abraham or Job that hovered …
Slavery in Stages
No addict expects to become an addict. When I began drinking alcohol at age fifteen, I didn’t think, “I’m going to get drunk every day and hide bottles in my bedroom.” But by nineteen, I was hooked and could have easily ruined the rest of my life—if Jesus hadn’t rescued me. Addictions are sneaky. They begin with fun—sometimes even good …
When Comfort Becomes Bondage
I’d had a rumbly tummy and full-out intestinal revolt for five days. I’d narrowed down the suspects to three possible causes: my favorite oatmeal, coffee with creamer, or stress. Faced with the very real possibility of giving up my favorite breakfast food or—heaven forbid—coffee, I began rationalizing… How could anyone be allergic to steel-cut oats? Isn’t …
Birth Order Burdens
Birth order can be an interesting topic. I’m the baby of the family—nine years younger than my brother and fourteen years younger than my sister. I was officially an “oops,” but my parents called me their “bonus baby” to shield my little psyche. Babies of the family typically don’t need a lot of shielding, however. Here are a few traits …
Beyond Belief
I thought I was done with my rough draft on Miriam—book #6 on Moses’s sister. It was 9pm on a Saturday night, and I had typed the last sentence: Yahweh, in His infinite wonder, would undoubtedly keep stretching her ________________ …I couldn’t think of the right words to end that sentence. I’d written almost 100,000 words, and I only needed …