Bored Reading the Bible? Try this.
On far too many days I read the Bible and don’t connect. It feels flat. Cold. Distant. The pages may contain timeless tales, but they feel boring. Flat. Stiff. They feel written endless miles away, in distant cultures, far off lands, a way of life I can’t relate to no...
Free Books, Free Books, Free Books—Win Them Here, Now, Today
Summer reading season is upon us. Some gifts have nestled on my desk that I want to share with you. The first is from my friend and pastor, Michael Hildago. The lead pastor and a gifted communicator at Denver Community Church, he is translating faith to a new...
What’s the Difference Between Vulnerability and Vomit Writing?
We’ve been working hard to help you become a better writer. That’s why Margaret has poured her heart, soul, and more than 20 years of writing experience into the Write Brilliant online course. You can sign up for Writing Quick Tips and learn more...
How to Face Your Own Fruitlessness: The Barren Fig Tree
Would Jesus eat Fig Newtons? The Son of God sure couldn’t resist mentioning fig trees during His life and ministry. Perhaps because they trace back to garden. Adam and the woman stitched figgy leaves to make DIY, pre-Etsy loincloths. This makes fig trees the only tree...
Is the Pace of Our World Moving Slower or Faster? The Answer Might Surprise You
Whizzing. Whirling. Whooshing. If Dr. Seuss wrote a book about the pace our world, I’d expect frolicking words—swift and speedy, zipping and zapping, romping and rocketing—all dotting the pages. Some finger point technology, others the never-ending to-do’s. The cause...
Free books! Free books! Free books! Don’t Miss This Giveaway
I have so many friends and books and projects I have been just bubbling up to share with you. Let me introduce you to a few of my dear friends (plus a chance to win free books!): This uplifting collection includes moving stories of cultivating friendship, waiting on...
Will Jesus Make You Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams or Bankrupt Beyond Belief?
Two plus two equals four everywhere except the kingdom of God. Those who follow Jesus for very long know that God’s additions, subtractions, and multiplications differ from mortal math. In Matthew 19-20, we find people struggling with foundational questions of this...
How Much Do Small Places Matter? Wendell Berry Weighs In
Wendell Berry is like grit for my fingernails, a writer who helps me breathe in the thickness of life. In his stunning essay, “Contempt for Small Places,” this farmer with a prophetic bent writes: “The health of the oceans depends on the health of rivers; the health...
Everything Hinges on Your Ability To Do This One Thing
The loudest voices in our culture herald a consistent message. Go big. Go viral. Get busy. Get distracted. Ooh! Look at this. Ooh! Shiny, shiny, shiny. Perhaps you’ve noticed this, too. The screens and software and computer devices we use are designed to train us to...
Is God A Rewarder of Dogged Determination and Holy Chutzpah?
The highest compliment that my Jewish grandmother ever handed out: “She’s got chutzpah!” (pronounced hoot-spuh) Perhaps that’s because my Jewish grandmother didn’t hand out many compliments. (If you lack a Jewish grandmother you may not recognize why that last line is...
