This past week leading up to Easter, I have been struck anew by the reality of what Jesus did for us. Perhaps it was reading Miram’s account of the first Passover, the fear, the hope, the blind faith. They did not have it all written in black and white and even if they did, most of them couldn’t read. The …
Ready to Leave Egypt?
Have you ever heard the term, Stockholm syndrome? It’s a psychological phenomenon in which a captive begins to bond with his/her captor. In extreme cases, the captive may even identify with the captor. Can you imagine having been violently torn from your life and imprisoned for so long—or having undergone such abuse—that you lose your sense of self and begin to …
Surprised by Answers by Bethel Burton
Have you ever asked God for something, and then were surprised when he acted? This has happened to me at several points in my life. Some things I asked over and over while others only once. The most recent example had to do with our dishwasher, of all things. The control panel had been on the fritz, but we were …
Thoughts on Home by Tina Chen
We just got back from a week in Thailand. I was so happy to be home. In the first twenty-four hours, I caught myself thinking over and over, “It’s so good to be home,” “I missed this,” and similar thoughts. And then something hit me. The reason it’s so great to be home is that it is familiar. My home …
Treasure Found by Tracie Heskett
You just never know where you will find a treasure of inspiration. Today I’m reading a booklet, like a printed workshop, on writing. Toward the end, there’s a bit about building sand castles, in the context of being complete in Christ, recognizing and living out our true identity in Him. This is where I’ve been the last several months: seeking …
Anticipating Miriam by Kate Hodges
In eager anticipation of my copy of Miriam, I thought I would look up mention of her in the Bible to look for story clues. There are only a few mentions of her, by name, and two of them stuck out to me. At the beginning of the Israelites journey, just after the safe crossing of the Red Sea, Miriam …