At age three, my neighbor’s son began asking his mom where he came from. At first, she thought he was onto something about how babies are made. Then she realized that wasn’t his question at all. What this preschooler wondered about was why he existed, and who brought him into being. His question was not biological, but theological. My non-Christian neighbor didn’t know what to tell her little boy. Christian parents, too, can be caught off guard by the unexpectedly profound questions our children ask at times. Can you articulate to your child what it means that he or she is created Continue Reading
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7 Important Lessons my Father Taught Me
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
One Super Important Thing Christians Rarely do for Each Other
When was the last time you thanked someone for pointing out the sin in your life? Conversely, when was the last time you confronted someone else about theirs? I'm guessing your "Don't judge me!" trigger is going off right about now. This is the message we hear loud and clear every day. We 've come to believe that pointing out each others' wrongdoing is a bad thing. But that all depends on attitude and motive. A person who loves to correct others just to feel better than them is not a healthy person. We should rightly beware of receiving such correction. But not all Continue Reading
How Your Heavenly Father Demonstrates His Mothering Heart
I know what you're thinking. Is she one of those theologically liberal women who teach that God is female? Nope. Scripture makes it clear that God is neither male nor female, but rather that he is spirit. The apostle John puts it this way: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” --John 4:24 As a woman, I experience freedom in Christ. I don't feel the need to refer to God as "she," as some folks do. I have no problem thinking of God as my Father. At the same time, I know he is not a man. When God created Adam and then Eve, the process is uniquely Continue Reading