Posts Tagged ‘Sin’

When writer’s block and wedding plans rear their ugly heads, you go to friends for inspiration. And then you shamelessly copy/paste their stories into a blog post (with full permission, of course). I’ve known Carla since we were (un)cool homeschoolers in [...]

We have quite a few themes in November: Thanksgiving, NaNoWriMo, Peanut Butter Lovers Month – where do I start? It IS National Novel Writing Month (though I think Peanut Butter Lovers Month is severely under-celebrated), and we of the word-crafting ilk [...]

The thing about being an INFJ is random bumper stickers seen on my drive home will send me into deep philosophical musings. “♥ God, ♥ People” the sticker on the truck ahead of me said. How funny someone feels the need to tell me and other drivers to do [...]

  Song Title: Strength and Beauty Artist: Citizens (formerly Citizens & Saints) Album: Single Release: 2018 Genre: Indie   Drawing from the same ecclesiastical roots as King’s Kaleidoscope and Ghost Ship, Citizens (formerly Citizens & [...]

I probably don’t even have to tell you what The Hero’s Code is, since it’s been used so often, but here it is anyway: Heroes don’t kill; that’s what separates us from the bad guys. With the new Marvel series The Punisher premiering on Netflix anytime now, [...]

Halloween is not inherently good or evil. For most Christians, Halloween is great. It’s an excuse to take a night off, dress up, and eat some candy. As long as the Holy Spirit doesn’t convict you that participating is not something you should [...]

On a reference desk shift at my library job I shared a gander with a coworker at a new book all about the fiercest, creepiest, and most dangerous “monster” animals on the planet. We flipped through pages detailing insects that use dead bodies [...]

By Grace alone, through faith alone, we are saved. I hear this all the time; it’s a pretty common evangelical Christianese catchphrase. I get it, and it’s true…mostly…kind of, except not really. The problem isn’t the grace or [...]

In the account of the boy with the unclean spirit (Mark 9:14-29), the boy’s father says to Jesus, “If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us” (v. 22). Jesus responds, “‘If you can!’ All things are possible for one who believes” (v. 23). [...]

(This is a piece I wrote after a sermon I heard on the freedom of Christ; how he is able to break our bondage from even the fiercest sins. We often forget we’ve been made saints through Jesus’ sacrifice; he is able to release us even while we [...]

We’ve all seen those videos pop up in our feed. The ones that draw you in with a cute puppy, and then turn around and show you how it looked when it was first discovered – matted, bleeding, oozing, and terrified. The ones that tell you a cute story [...]

Song Title: “Alive – Original Mix” Artist: Swedish Revolution & Matthew Parker Album: #Pandastruction Released: 2013 Genre: Electronic Dance Music Spotify MusixMatch Lyrics Electronic Dance Music, or EDM, is the amalgamation of [...]

There are a number of recurring questions Christians get asked by their unbelieving or faith-exploring friends. If God exists, why is there evil in the world? Why was the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden? What proof do you have that Jesus existed? [...]

Song Title: Dare You To Move Artist: Switchfoot Album: The Beautiful Letdown Released: 2003 Genre: Rock The band that began its debut in 1996 as “Chin Up” would later take on the name we all know and love today: Switchfoot. I was only 5 years old when [...]

In the midst of the congregation, my pastor exclaims, “Christ is risen!” And the congregation responds joyfully, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Today is Easter Sunday, or what I prefer to call Resurrection Sunday. On a Friday many [...]