A devotion throwback by Karen Rees. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2 When I was a child, my parents saw a poster announcing that a …
Continue reading “Devotional | Encountering God and Elephants”
Freedom: the condition or right of being able or allowed to do, say, think, etc. whatever you want to, without being controlled or limited. Contemplating my topic for this month’s blog, I remembered a conversation with someone a while ago who told me that Christianity wasn’t for him because it took away his freedom to …
I am grateful for perfect timing. An unexpected situation recently brought my husband and me to New York City. Due to the serious nature of the trip, I did not follow my usual practice of planning sightseeing excursions, activities, and shopping. While researching the area of our hotel, I discovered that we would be within …
The old year goes out with fanfare. Restaurants create elaborate menus for New Year’s Eve dinners. Shopkeepers dress their windows using party clothes to entice customers to buy their sparkly offerings. Friends and family ask, “What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?” In New York City, crowds stand for hours in Times Square waiting …
A devotion by Karen Rees “Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.” Matt 8:24 As an author, I know readers want stories filled with conflict, crisis, and danger. In contrast, we like our lives to be basically predictable, free of …
Devotional by Karen Rees “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge.” Psalms 18:2 The Mt. Pinatubo volcano erupted in the Philippines in June, 1991. In a matter of days, villages, rice fields and roads were buried under thousands of tons of pale …
Continue reading “Devotional | Changing Times – An Unchanging God”
There’s something about Christmas. People from all walks of life suddenly start decorating their homes garishly, wearing garments they would otherwise never dream of endorsing, putting trees inside their houses instead of outside where they belong, singing in public, and making plans to cook a very specific set of foods. A whole host of traditions, coming …
Continue reading “Devotional | The Incarnational *ADVENT*ure”
Dwelling and Resting: Psalm 91 verse 1- 2 and 9 -10 NIV He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Verse 2. I will say of the Lord “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” This year personal circumstances …
On the way to our camp in the Australian bush, we travel past a field that is home to a mob of emus. These birds are almost the largest in the world, second only to the African ostrich. There are many similarities between these two flightless birds. Both are massive animals—six to nine feet tall. …
Continue reading “Devotional | Are you an Ostrich or an Emu?”
One Christmas, I received a book many writers may have in their library of writing resources. Between the covers of Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories, Christopher Booker pours a wealth of knowledge into 700 pages about crafting the perfect plot and creating satisfying storytelling. A plot is a sequence in which a story …
