One tip to help you understand the Bible better is read it with a pen or pencil in hand. Write down key words on a scratch of paper. Circle words in your Bible that are conceptually or linguistically similar. Underline key words. Doodle.

As part of the leadership team for the ESV Study Bible, one thing I wanted to make sure we included was a number of charts, because they can be helpful visual aids to make explicit the logical organization in a chapter.  Read more »

Our family loves to play games together, but it can be trying at times to ensure “fairness” and a good time had by all when the youngest member of our family, Adam, feels he’s playing at a disadvantage. Who wants to play when you’re the youngest and you think you might lose? Mom has the same problem, owing to a competitive streak formed in early childhood. Read more »

It was a yearly journey that foreshadowed our future.

With much excitement, the Christmas tree had been assembled and now it was time to arrange the destination. My older sister carefully removed the treasured ornament from its box and moved to place it in a very strategic location on the tree – a little above the cardboard table on which the tree stood and not so high that neither of us could reach it. Throughout this procedure, I would gaze in awe at the tiny girl swinging in a silver star. Read more »

My Dad was born into a very large family who were rich in love, but poor as church mice. His proud Father was a master-carpenter by trade, who could barely put food on the table. Christmas’s around their house were usually very scant and barren to say the least. With barely enough money to put food on the table, any sights or sounds of the holiday regalia would have to be visited by another, more privileged family. Read more »

…and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”  Matthew 1:23 

God has promised you His constant presence (Hebrews 13:5), but are you conscious of His presence every day? When you are conscious of His presence every day, you will experience a peace that gives you rest, joy inexpressible in your spirit and a power that nothing in this world can offer. In fact, you will begin to be peaceful and powerful like Jesus. You will speak and behave like Him. This is because you cannot be in God’s presence without His beauty, love, peace, power and glory rubbing off on you.  Read more »

Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? What you are about to read may make a huge difference to your future health! Being well rested is essential to our well being and is a major key in living an energetic lifestyle. Here are some of the benefits of a good night’s sleep: Read more »