Is the slogan, “Believe in something” good advice? There’s been quite a controversy over NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s decision to sit, and later kneel, during the national anthem, essentially sacrificing his NFL career to make a statement about racial inequality –and now, Nike is cashing in on Kaepernick’s convictions. Without unpacking that whole topic, I will say this: we still have much work to do as a nation in the area of racial justice. We still need a revelation that every human being is a precious image-bearer of God, and therefore all people should be treated with equal Continue Reading

He arrived in the United States with $70 to his name, not knowing a word of English. Under the stigma of having fought on the German side in World War II, my father set out to build a new life for his family. He succeeded. We held a memorial in Papa’s honor this last Saturday, and I’ve been reflecting on lots of childhood memories… …traditional Christmas Eve (Heilige Abend) celebrations, starting with Papa reading Luke Chapter 2 from the German Bible and leading us in German Christmas hymns .… two awesome trips to Germany in my teens. .. …how Papa would take me out for real Continue Reading

Clusters of people move slowly and reverently through four floors of dark and somber exhibits, wiping away tears. We are moved, stunned to silence, utterly dismayed at man's inhumanity to man and the depravity of the human heart. If you've been to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., you know you'll never forget the place. My husband Scott and I were in town for a conference and had decided to take in the museum during a couple of off hours, thinking it would be good to reflect on what happened to the Jewish people in Europe during Hitler's reign. "It is better to go to Continue Reading

As our friend pondered the tragic loss of a family member last year, he wondered,  "Why do I never feel comfortable when I'm mourning?  Doesn't God promise to comfort us in our grief?" Americans are all about being comfortable. We don't even know what the weather feels like most of the time, unless it's so glorious we decide to risk it and go outside. We don't usually have to suffer heat, cold, or hunger, so we opt out of those inconveniences. We use running water without a second thought, and holler our protests if someone dares flush while we are in the shower. We're a pretty Continue Reading