By Todd Hill Anyone who has watched the movie Braveheart can’t help but immediately think about the iconic scene at the conclusion of the movie where William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson, cries out in his death: FREEDOM! There is something about this scene that sears into your memory. While there is a certain gruesomeness...
Author: Andrew Bors (Andrew Bors)
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Shooting through the Screen
By Ward Shope Early one rainy morning this summer, I spotted a bear outside our vacation lodging place. It was cool and still somewhat dark and I found myself torn between waking Debbie up so she could see the bear, or letting her get the extra rest that we both longed for. The bear kept...
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Perfume for Jesus
By Charlotte Gleason Recently, I read Mark’s account of the woman who poured “pure nard” (14:3) over the head of Jesus. I realize this passage blends and contrasts with the other gospels: Luke describes the woman wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair, and John claims the woman was Mary. My Martha-mind likes to believe this...
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What Are You Bringing?
By Dave Almack (This blog was originally published on “FaithLit”, Dave Almack’s Blog. You can find the original here.) So, I have a confession to make. I am a huge fan of potluck picnics. For those not familiar with this particular tradition, this is a combination of a typical outdoor barbecue with the twist that...
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A Summer Update
By Jane Highley Summer is not over (hardly), yet the end feels dreadfully near. The back-to-school ads have been consistent and catchy ever since we feasted on burgers on Independence Day. But they only serve to remind us teachers this universal truth: summer is unjustly the shortest season. I wrote a post about six weeks...
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Boldly Unashamed of It All
By Ward Shope “…it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” (Phil 1:20) Yesterday afternoon, I called Debbie on the phone. “What are you doing?” I asked....
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Thankful for the Longing
By Debbie Shope I recently was offered an old, beat-up aluminum pitcher which I was happy to accept. My husband, not so much 🙂 As I admired my new acquisition, I looked at the bottom — why, I don’t know — and discovered it was 99% aluminum. Not bad, eh? But this triggered a familiar...
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My Chair
By Ward Shope It’s 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon and Fae and I are closing up shop at the New Life office. “Have a good weekend, Fae. I’ll see you Sunday.” “Thanks”, she returns. “Do you have any plans?” “Not in particular,” I reply. “I think I’ll sit in my chair.” Fae chuckles with...
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Handling the News
By Ward Shope Perhaps I shouldn’t admit this, but I rarely take a deep look at the news anymore. Much of what is reported appears either bad or negative: shootings, accusations, terrorist attacks, cyberattacks and more. “Joyful anticipation” does not describe my tentative approach into what’s happening in the world and in the region. I...
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A Teacher’s Summer Syllabus
By Jane Highley Summer has finally arrived, and like many teachers, I am already basking in the freedom of a slower-paced life. For the next 10 weeks, I don’t need to fret about the daily school-day hustle: packing lunches, making and revising lesson plans, attending meetings, collecting feedback, and grading assessments. However, I hardly just...
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Comfortable or Flourishing
By Todd Hill When Ethan was in preschool, he was told to draw a picture of his family. He did a surprisingly good job. It also was a profound representation of his observation, as a 3-year-old, of what life in our home was like. He showed Young-Mee busily working in the kitchen, and me ....
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Everyday Eternal – Takeaways from the Women’s Retreat
By Becca Muilenburg Full. If asked for one word to describe a typical week in our family, “full” is the one I would choose. With children, jobs, school, and all the other little errands and appointments which seem to multiply overnight, my husband and I are always searching for snippets of time when we can...