Why Women’s Issues Should Matter to Us
We talk about women’s issues a lot on the podcast. But Lisa and I realized we’ve never broken down why we think it’s important to have these discussions. Why does what we believe about being a woman matter?
God is Bigger Than Your Doctrine
The narrowness of my beliefs was safe, comfortable, and secure. I trusted the people I’d read and heard. Their commentary was enough to authorize what I believed, and to question those ideas felt like spiritual treason.
Then I read the Bible for myself.
Is Dating Just Practice for Divorce?
A few weeks ago I received an interesting question on my weekly Q&A show on Instagram. The reader asked: “Do you think dating is just practice for divorce, like many conservative groups say?” I was a little surprised I’d never heard this before, given my own acquaintance with purity culture. It’s the perfect lay-up to the courtship conversation. And it’s a question we really need to answer in an age of temporary love.
This Middle-Road Marriage
I’m posting this episode of the podcast a little late – it actually ran a few weeks ago. In it, Lisa and I discuss the different approaches Christians take to marriage, often summed up with the terms “complementarian” and...
Five Consequences of Misapplying Scripture
A few weeks ago I did a mini-series on my Instagram stories regarding the misapplication of popular bible verses – verses like Jeremiah 29:11. The ensuing conversation in my community was both exciting and discouraging. In one sense, it was exciting to see how many believers recognized the problems with taking verses out of context and misapplying them. But it was saddening to see how many people had learned these verses in their wrong context, and how many of them were overwhelmed and discouraged when they found out this was the case.
Your Husband Is Not Your Father (And That’s a Good Thing)
The role of fathers is vital. The love of a good father shows a daughter the kind of man she should look for in a spouse. But what happens when a father’s example becomes a template?
I think we’re seeing the result of this in Christian dating. Young women enter the dating sphere looking for a copy of their dad. The problem? Fifty year old men don’t come in twenty-two year old bodies! A few weeks ago I discussed three misconceptions about biblical masculinity. If there were a fourth, this would be it: Your husband is not your father.
How the Cross Defeats My Victimhood
There’s a fundamental difference between true victimhood and a victim mentality. A victim mentality is adopted, even when that person is not actually a victim of hurt or abuse. It is characterized by a “life is against me” attitude. This mentality is limiting; it keeps a person from living out their potential.
This post is not in reference to true victims of abuse. If that’s you, please find counseling and mentorship, a safe place to find healing and to work through your past. What this post deals with is a victim identity and mentality; victimhood as a lifestyle. There are several ways to identify this in a person, and following are four consequences of living in defeat instead of overcoming by the power of God.
God Doesn’t Need Your Platform, Period.
From the very beginning of my blogging “career”, I committed to never pursue numbers. As hobby became part time job and now a supplemental income for our family, I have been constantly tempted by the appeal of the numbers game. While I certainly educate myself about marketing, social media trends, and blogging issues, I continue to prayerfully remain faithful to what I knew was necessary at the beginning: To write truth and write it well, whether or not anyone reads it.
15 Bible Study Resources to Take You Deeper in the Word
Everyone wants to know my list of recommended bible study resources. Though plenty of bloggers have written about this same topic, every list is different based on the needs and bible study habits of the individual. Not everyone has a religion degree like I do, but everyone does have access to the same resources I use to study the bible and teach it to my readers. You don’t need a ministry degree to be a faithful student of God’s word!
What’s Saving My Life This February
February in Michigan is one of those in-between months where people start complaining about the length of winter (let’s be real: that’s every month of winter in Michigan!). Since we can anticipate a solid nine more weeks of winter, possibly more, we have to get creative in February when it comes to activities and making the cold more liveable.