An admission. The very first thing I did when I received Hiking Through: One man's journey to peace and freedom on the Appalachian Trail was flip to approximately the center of the book to see if Stutzman mentioned any local trail landmarks or towns. Of course, he did. There in black and white was the… Continue reading On the Bookshelf: Hiking Through by Paul Stutzman
Author: Tammie
As a journalist at a weekly newspapers for many years, Tammie learned to tell the stories of her community. She's fascinated with history and faith, and holds a Master of Practical Theology degree from Winebrenner Theological Seminary.
On the bookshelf: Love Does by Bob Goff
True confession? Two aspects of my personality have always been at war with each other. One, which gets expressed now and then on the blog, is the free-spirited, neo-hippie girl who would love to ditch the 8-4 and write all day. The other - the one that wins the battle most days - is the… Continue reading On the bookshelf: Love Does by Bob Goff
Because he is risen …
For the next 40 days, the risen Savior again walked with his disciples. He served them breakfast on the shores of Galilee. He talked with them as he had before the darkness of Calvary split their world and time itself in two. Then, finally they came to the Mount of Olives – the place where… Continue reading Because he is risen …
On that great mornin’
The story did not end there. Praise God the story does not with the nails being removed and his Body being laid in the grave. It doesn’t end with the disciples hiding in fear or the Jewish high council gloating over its apparent victory. It ends with a startling discovery made by women on their… Continue reading On that great mornin’
By his stripes …
The cup did not pass from him. The will of the Father was done. As the final “Amen” lingered in the air, the stillness of the night was broken by the clatter of shield against sword and the heavy footsteps of soldiers in motion. A question, a kiss and the Son of Man, who… Continue reading By his stripes …
On the bookshelf: The Grace Effect: How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief
When a book about grace begins by describing a dinner with Christopher Hitchens, you know you're in for a treat. Larry Alex Taunton's The Grace Effect absolutely does not disappoint. Taunton presents the idea that society needs "Christianity's gentling, inspiring, and culturally transforming power." Using the story of the adoption of his daughter from a… Continue reading On the bookshelf: The Grace Effect: How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief
A night of sorrows …
The shouts of joy that echoed through Jerusalem’s stone streets on a Sunday morning fell deathly silent in the darkness of a Thursday night. The dark of the night matched the darkness of sin in the souls of man as the disciples joined Jesus in the upper room. In these last precious hours of his… Continue reading A night of sorrows …
A welcome for a king …
Hope rose high on the Judean hillside that morning during a first-century spring. It was a hope desperately sought by a people oppressed. The dark hand of Rome gripped the Jewish people. It’s tax collectors were agents of extortion. Its soldiers instruments of destruction. Any threat to Rome was crushed mercilessly. But into this darkness… Continue reading A welcome for a king …
An invitation to reflection …
A few months ago, the music director at church asked me to write the cantata for our choir. I had suggested writing one a few years ago, but had forgotten that I mentioned it to her until he asked. Today, that cantata came to life. This week, I invite you to relive it through the… Continue reading An invitation to reflection …
On the Bookshelf: Primal by Mark Batterson
Can Christianity be stripped of centuries of traditions to reveal its primal elements — those very characteristics that drew thousands on the day of Pentecost? In his book, Primal: The Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, Mark Batterson contends that it can, but he doesn't go to the church of Acts 2. He steps… Continue reading On the Bookshelf: Primal by Mark Batterson
