We’ve all heard it said that being a mom is a thankless job. Few witness the daily sacrifice and grind parenting requires. On top of the already grueling schedule of raising a family, the Christmas season can add even more stress and expectation to an already full routine. Participating in school holiday activities, buying gifts, […]

As we this enter this Thanksgiving season, I find myself thinking not just about blessings, but about where gratitude begins. It doesn’t always start around a table filled with family and laughter. Sometimes it begins in the quiet ache of prayers whispered through tears and longing. That’s where we meet Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. Her story begins in sorrow. Year […]

Why Crucifixion? Why not end Jesus’ life by scourging or being stoned to death? Because the Jewish authorities would have known the teaching in Deuteronomy which states anyone who hangs on a tree will be cursed by God. “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, […]

Being creatures of habit and expectancy, we often take for granted the presuppositions we hold to be true. We can overlook seemingly insignificant details in current events or characters in our favorite TV miniseries. And we might disregard obscure details surrounding familiar Bible stories we’ve learned growing up. When we bring into focus those details […]

What good Jewish mother wouldn’t do what this mother did for her two sons? As a mother of four boys I can empathize with wanting what’s best, or at least what I believe is best for my sons.  Unfortunately, we often allow our presuppositions to influence our beliefs and choices. In this passage we will examine how a mother’s request to have her two sons placed in prominent positions of honor and proximity to Jesus misses the essence of His mission and the heartbeat of discipleship.

This week in our journey through Matthew, Jesus will once again put forth children as examples for his followers, preparing us for his exchange with a rich man who is unable to enter into the kingdom of God because of his wealth (Matt 19:13–30). This story also appears in Mark’s Gospel. In this article, Donna […]