Door
Read: John 10:1-9 Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (v. 7) Our dog barks anytime a stranger approaches our house. From her perch looking out the upstairs window, if she sees a delivery person outside, she runs down the stairs and barks until they leave. Thankfully, our mail […]
Light of the World
Read: John 8:1-12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.” (v. 12) While we were staying together at a retreat center on the Oregon Coast, my friend went walking on the beach at sunset and stayed too long. Wandering up and down in the dark, she could not find […]
Bread of Life
Read: John 6:25-40 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.” (v. 35) What are you hungry for? When we miss a meal, we feel the physical sensation of a rumbling tummy. But other things can gnaw at us as well: a stack of unpaid bills, a sense of loneliness, a fear of […]
Prince of Peace
Read: Matthew 2:1-18 His name shall be called . . . Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6) The picture on social media caught my breath: an image of a child being pulled from rubble in a war-torn land. My heart broke as I realized the child was dead. It’s sometimes easy for me to forget, in […]
Everlasting Father
Read: John 10:22-30 His name shall be called . . . Everlasting Father. (Isa. 9:6) One of the most rewarding—or potentially unsettling—things about being a parent is seeing the ways your children take after you. Similarly, one of the more startling things about being an adult child is recognizing the ways you’re becoming like your […]
Mighty God
Read: Mark 4:35-41 His name shall be called . . . Mighty God. (Isa. 9:6) If you’ve ever held a newborn baby in your arms, you know there are many words to describe those little bundles: Tiny. Fragile. Precious. When I first held my oldest child, born eight weeks premature, the words that unexpectedly came […]
Counselor
Read: Isaiah 30:15-21 His name shall be called . . . Counselor. (Isa. 9:6) When a long-held plan recently fell apart, I didn’t know where to turn. Who could help me decide what to do next? While counselor can refer to modern professions like therapists and lawyers, on the most basic level, a counselor is […]
December 2024 Prayer Guide
NEPAL — Our ministry team in Nepal is creating messages that focus on the importance of living a balanced Christian life. “Our messages center on this idea of a godly and balanced lifestyle—a life where faith is not just something we believe, but something we practice intentionally in all areas,” shares the director. ENGLISH — […]
Wonderful
Read: Isaiah 9:1-7 And his name shall be called Wonderful . . . (v. 6) “That’s wonderful!” we might say, meaning simply that something is great or remarkable. But the English word wonderful contains other meanings. Something wonderful might be full of wonder, evoking in us a sense of awe. It might also be something […]