Growing up, I battled tremendous anxiety. My stomach would be in knots every morning before school. I was terrified that I would make a fool of myself in front of my classmates. To me, that meant anything from tripping on the playground to getting less than an A+ on an assignment. I did my best…
The name of God for week 21 in Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks is judge, shophet. What comes to mind? A fusty, crusty curmudgeon who’s all too willing to bang his gavel and declare, “Guilty?” When I was a child, that’s what I thought. I had this vague idea that God was…
Dwell – Abide – Take Refuge Back in the ’70s, I ordered the Book of Lists on a Scholastic Book Order. I loved looking at all the lists of useless information. Windiest Cities. Longest Rivers. Stupidest Criminals. The book calls itself a compendium of curious information. If memory serves, one of the lists was the…
We’re in Week 20 of Ann Spangler’s Praying the Names of God for 52 Weeks. This week, it’s more of a laundry list than a name – so many good promises one name can’t contain them all. Dwelling Place – Refuge – Shield – Fortress – Strong Tower the Hebrew transliteration: Maon, Machseh, Magen, Metsuda,…
The book of Hosea paints a beautiful picture of Yahweh’s forgiveness and redemption. No, many beautiful pictures. But they don’t start out that way. When Gomer had children, Yahweh told Hosea to name one son, “Not My People” and his daughter, “Unloved.” Ouch. That’s so harsh. The names Not My People and Unloved represent judgment…