Chances are you’ve probably sung the classic Christmas hymn, The First Noel. But have you stopped to ponder the meaning of the word, noel? The first Noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;  in the field where they lay keeping their sheep  on a cold winter’s night...Read More

New Bible Study on the Gospel of John John the Apostle was a devoted follower of Jesus and eyewitness of His majesty! He beheld Christ’s miracles, teachings, and suffering. John stood in awe inside the empty tomb and ate breakfast with the resurrected Lord. Through John’s personal testimony, we come to behold and believe that...Read More

Nothing says summer vacay like plunging into a good fiction book while lounging by a beautiful beach. Unfortunately, my everyday life is so busy that taking the time to read fiction proves a luxury. Sure, I’m always reading something, but mainly I spend my time in the non-fiction world, in order to prepare for teaching...Read More

Four Truths I’ve Learned About Marriage on our 10th Wedding Anniversary “‘Haven’t you read,’ Jesus replied, ‘that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they...Read More

One of my favorite movies from the 90s is The Usual Suspects. While I’m not a film critic, I would say it’s one of the best. This movie depicts a con artist who ruthlessly escapes capture through deception and lies. The final scene closes with this incredible line: “The greatest trick the devil ever pulled...Read More

As the mother of a five-year-old girl, I watched my fair share of princess movies during the pandemic. Hours trapped indoors made me quite thankful we live in a day when streaming channels are a reality. While I’m careful about my daughter’s screen time, there were several days when a good fairytale saved my sanity....Read More

Before leaving for a week-long girls’ getaway, I tidied up my desk, put away files, and scrubbed down all the surfaces of my office. There’s just something about coming back to a clean workspace that makes me oh-so-happy.   So, I was more than a little shocked when I returned to my desk after that vacation,...Read More

Rejoicing in God While Living with an Unmet Desire My phone beeped, and a text from a friend popped up on the screen. I didn’t need to read more than a few sentences to discern the pain and disappointment in her heart. She said, “Marian, I’m reaching out to you because I know you get...Read More

Is that guilt conviction of sin or condemnation of the enemy? I’d blown it. I said something that I couldn’t take back. As soon as I uttered the sentence, I regretted it. My words were unnecessary, not helpful, and certainly weren’t kind. My words failed the litmus test outlined in Ephesians for the kind of...Read More

New Series: Passport to Freedom is now on YouTube Do you feel like you’re in bondage to shame, insecurity, anxiety, anger, or an addiction? Do you long to experience more of the abundant life? The good news is that Jesus came to set captives free! But what is this freedom, and how do we experience...Read More