The Prayer of Abraham at Beersheba

“Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.” (Genesis 21:33) Eternal God! Who called me to this landOf wells and deserts, dust and burning sand,Where nomads wander, and in…

Reflections on '13 Days'

I recently re-watched the movie ’13 Days’ with my brother. It’s a historical drama about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and a movie which I personally found fascinating (viewers beware: it’s rated PG-13 for brief strong language). Admittedly, not everyone would…

The Word that Sanctifies

I recently read from a well-meaning Christian blogger, who was writing on the topic of overthinking. This is how she ended the article: “I don’t have a miracle cure for overthinking…But if ever there was a cure, it would have…

The Six Marks of Totalitarianism

Several years ago I had the opportunity to read deeply about government gone wrong. I delved into books of both science fiction (like 1984 and Brave New World) and nonfiction analysis (like The Origins of Totalitarianism). From my study, I…

On Being Remarkable

“Every situation is an opportunity to be boring or remarkable.” (Seth Godin) I used to see the unexpected as a hindrance. Suppose a friend was sick and wasn’t able to have dinner with me as expected. In the past this…

Seven Biblical Truths about Overthinking

(1) Overthinking is not necessarily a sin – though it often is. However, it frequently has harmful effects because (1) it often distracts us from present duties, and (2) it often manifests deeper sin issues of the heart. Successful people…

On Populism and Nationalism

A while ago I had the opportunity to read Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West by R. R. Reno (2019). What follows is not a book review, or even a single cohesive idea,…

The White Elephant

Long ago, it was a custom in Thailand that the king would give a white elephant to any noble that he didn’t like. The white elephant was an exceedingly rare creature. Being so rare, and being a gift from the…

The Four Types of Bad Bible Readers

Are you a bad Bible reader? It’s more common than you think. Maybe you have a bit of the mad scientist in you? The postman? Whatever your tendency, you don’t want to end up like these… The Lawn Care Specialist…

Six Guidelines for Developing Biblical Friendship

As we’ve seen, friendship is a vital part of the Christian life. But how do we develop biblical friendships? #1 – Spend Time with People It’s impossible to be good friends with someone if you don’t spend time around them….