Some people say Esther’s story doesn’t relate to them: “I won’t ever find myself in such outrageous circumstances,” or “I doubt my faith will ever be tested like that.” If you’re in that camp, I hear you….
Blog
Grab your favorite brew and visit a few minutes with Encouragement from Living History. That sums up my blog: thoughts grounded in the Bible, sprinkled with interesting tidbits from history, all applied to life today. Readers say, “I learn something new every time I read your blog.” Here’s an open invitation to sit a few minutes now and come back often to share your thoughts.
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What Happened to Queen Esther?
What would you do if you had only nine years to make a difference for God and the deck was stacked against you?…
Esther on Lessons in Aloneness
If you’ve wondered why I’ve been absent from your inbox for a while, it’s because I’ve been struggling with Lyme disease again. It can come out of remission much like cancer can. The climb back to health is like scaling a cliff. It’s scary and lonely. It reminds me of Esther….
What to Do When Stuck in the Now of No
Easter weekend, I was hit again with family loss. Four days later, in the space of five minutes, two more big “no’s” rocked me….
Why Should Nicodemus’s Story Matter to Me?
Easter. I won’t fully wrap my head around its message until I get to heaven. For now, I remain in awe of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. But many people played a role in Easter’s message, including Nicodemus—who’s mentioned only in the Gospel of John….
When Angry Feels Good
Admit it. Sometimes being angry feels good….
Do We Ever Move Beyond Being a Child in Our Walk with God?
From Deuteronomy through the Epistles, scores of Bible verses describe believers as being a child of God. In John 13:33, Jesus called his followers “little children.” It’s more than a term of endearment, and it doesn’t allude to being young in the faith. The phrase “little children” links our life to our position in Christ and what it enables us to do….
Who Is Your Boss?
In four weeks, I will have been in business for myself for eighteen years. That’s a huge milestone! I haven’t held any other job that long….
When God’s Greatness Speaks from the Stars
The science geek in me marvels at God’s sense of humor in creating the universe and letting us in on a few of its secrets. For example, scientists have amassed tomes of information about the moon, yet they can’t figure out what time it is on the moon. On the other hand, astronomers just released a composite of Dark Energy Camera images, revealing a stunning 360-degree panorama of the Milky Way bursting with more than 3.3 billion celestial objects. The feat is equivalent to taking a photo of 3 billion people and being able to identify each individual….
Roman Roads are Made to Last—And so are You
In the process of writing biblical fiction, my research can lead me to fascinating facts, like how first-century Romans built a network of 250,000 miles of roads across three continents. But that’s just trivia until you consider why those roads still endure today….
