Mirror, Mirror of the Word – Tips For Effective Bible Reading

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” How many times have we heard this line from the story Snow White? The Wicked Queen asks the magic mirror this question every day, and until the appearance of Snow White the reflection responds that she, the Wicked Queen, is the fairest. The only problem with this answer is that the mirror is only looking at outward appearance. It does not judge her evil heart, blackened with jealousy and cruelty. What would she have done if the mirror had pointed out her wicked ways? There is no such thing …

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summer reading

The saving grace of summer reading

Not long after summer arrives, moms wonder how to fill the time and keep kiddos occupied in healthy ways. We may find ourselves held hostage by video games and Netflix, looking back at a lost summer of opportunity. For those looking for better options, most local libraries have summer reading programs as resources for families. Online options like Scholastic Summer Reading make it easy for everyone, rural and urban, to access tools for reading fun.  If we can just get our crew to story time, rows marked “Kids Collections,” or a yard sale where kids left for college, summer reading …

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I Just Need 15 More Minutes!

Can you give me just 15 more minutes? I whisper a prayer, grabbing my phone so I can slide the little button under my original alarm setting. I simply need more time to prepare.  Time to prepare so I could face another day of different. As I lay there, I can’t go back to sleep as I had hoped. Instead, I begin to pray; asking the Lord to heal my family member who is sick, a job for a friend who needs to provide and a prayer for me. Prayer to have the discipline to get out of my bed. …

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A Tool for Staying in the Word

From the outside my Chronological Bible looks worn. Green fabric is frayed around the edges revealing the thick cardboard underneath. The front and back covers are clinging to the spine by a thin piece of tape and the dust cover has long been lost. The letters on the spine are beginning to fade. “Looks pretty beat-up,” my hairdresser noted as I opened it while waiting for my color to set. I smiled and nodded, “I’ve been reading through it for over four years now.” For more than four years I have been reading chronologically through the Bible. That green raggedy …

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