In Women and the Gender of God, author Amy Peeler points out that Jesus, born of Mary, is a human male. We're comfortable with his humanness. In times of struggle and suffering we cry out to Jesus. It is his very humanity that gives us courage, as humans ourselves, to approach him in prayer. After... Continue Reading →
The Gospel: A Story Like None Other
Words, Language, and Meaning Early one morning, shortly after purchasing our home in a newly developed neighborhood in Colorado, two small boys on bicycles from the end of Prickly Pear Circle, whizzed past my dad who had traveled from Nebraska to see our first home and to show off the new car which he was... Continue Reading →
Considering Mary & Beyond
We know so little about Mary - the mother of Jesus - the woman who carried the Son of God for nine months in her womb. Years ago, I spent months reading and researching all things Mary for my final graduate project at Johnson University. Protestants were beginning to examine and expound on the Biblical... Continue Reading →
Celebrate Diversity
I remember well reading Henry David Thoreau's Walden in 8th grade. Our teacher, Sandra Starr, asked probing questions that motivated the class to discuss the literature we read that year on a deeper level. I recall a heady excitement in anticipation for each class. Usually a quiet student, I found it quite natural to engage... Continue Reading →
Funerals, White Lies, & Real Forgiveness
It had been an exhausting and emotional week spent in Nebraska for my 90 year old father-in-law’s funeral. After a week in hotel beds we decided to drive the seven and 1/2 hours home without stopping. Both of us were lost in our own thoughts. We drove in silence, too tired for conversation. However, the... Continue Reading →
No Phony-Baloney Allowed
There can be no phony-baloney when it comes to translating the Scriptures. The word, phony-baloney was first used in 1936, or so says Merriam-Webster.com. I love language, words, and experiencing life from other cultures and with people groups who view the world differently than me. I've learned over the years that translating from one language... Continue Reading →
Lessons from Two Hungry Boys
In this post I share the experiences of two five-year-old boys. Both, now adults, live very different lives. Kevin's story disturbed me greatly while Robby's gave me hope. The more their stories rolled around in my mind I realized I was missing something. I couldn't put my finger on what or why. I initially thought... Continue Reading →
Dethroning the Masculine Ideal
Recently this book, "The Representative Women of the Bible," published in 1907 caught my eye. It was high on the top shelf in the library - tucked between numerous modern and post-modern works about women. I've read so many books about women - written by women and written by men. The concept of woman, her... Continue Reading →
Gifts We Cherish
I've been working for months moving the books from my small study in a nook in our bedroom into what used to be my sewing studio. Today I asked myself where this passion for books came from and remembered a time when I was about six years old. I was kneeling in front of a... Continue Reading →
Silent No More
This post is about the insidious ways we silence others. While scrolling through my FB feed a few weeks ago, an ad for a new movie, Women Talking, popped up. The movie is based off the earlier book written by Miriam Toews. I watched the trailer, did some research, and quickly ordered the book from... Continue Reading →