Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Blog”
When I was a kid, every scrape, cut, bruise, and bee sting got the same treatment. My mom used something called “black ointment.” I don’t know if you’ve ever used it, but … it’s pretty gross. It’s like Neosporin, but instead of being clean and clear looking, it looks like it’s been scraped off the bottom of a stagnant pond. …
Have you ever noticed how Jesus had a way of turning things inside out in the Gospels? He was repeatedly criticized for healing the wrong people, in the wrong places, at the wrong times. He hung out with the riff-raff (Luke 5:30), he ventured off into Samaria (John 4:9), and he even healed people on the Sabbath (Mark 1:21-26). And …
As you’ve probably noticed, it’s World Cup time! The thing about every sport—even a low-scoring sport like soccer—is that it all comes down to keeping score. Television commentators sometimes say profound things like, “Well, one thing we can say for sure is that whoever has the most points at the end of today’s game, will pull out a victory and …
“I feel like I can’t win, no matter what I do,” my friend said. “The deck is stacked against me.” My friend was in a tough season. A series of disappointments had left her feeling numb and alone. The dream job that seemed to fall into her lap? It turned out to be a nightmare, requiring long hours and vanishing …
By Beth Demme When you hear the phrase “the kingdom of God,” what do you picture? Do you picture a throne room with a powerful ruler? Do you hear a loud booming voice? What if it is much more … unassuming? What if the kingdom/reign of God is simultaneously so big as to be beyond description, and yet somehow also …
Do I Need a Jesus Realignment? Or, Why It Matters to Me that Jesus Healed on the Sabbath By Beth Demme Was Jesus a rabble-rouser? Was he a rebel with a cause? Is that why Jesus broke the rules about the Sabbath? When Jesus allowed his disciples to pluck grain and when he healed the man with the withered hand …
The Irony of How We Use John 3:16 By Beth Demme 16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. There are different opinions as to how many verses are in the Bible, but everyone agrees there are thousands of them. One …
We all know there are four seasons—winter, spring, summer, and autumn. I live in the northern part of Florida, just on the border with Georgia. Unlike our friends further south in Florida, we are lucky enough to get at least a taste of each of the four seasons. Some of them are fleeting, but we enjoy them while we can! …
By Beth Demme Do you remember Paul Harvey? He was on the radio back in the day, always sharing “the rest of the story.” Well, in Christianity, Ascension is the rest of the story. As much as my faith is based on incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection, it is also about ascension. I declare this every time I say the Apostles’ …
Keeping Up With God, Who Is Always A Step Ahead By Beth Demme In the New Testament, right after the four Gospels, we have a book called “Acts.” Sometimes it’s called “Acts of the Apostles” because it’s the story of how the apostles began to teach, preach, and heal after Jesus ascended to heaven. Sometimes it’s called “Acts of the Holy …