Encouragement & Inspiration

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalms 19:14) Psalms is a book of poetry with 150 chapters. The Hebrew title of this book means “songs of praise,” while the Greek title, Psalmoi, has come to mean “sacred...

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. — Deuteronomy 6:6-7 I have a workshop...

Of all the ways we strive to make our homeschool journey successful, one detail should always rise above the rest; a focus on love.  Love may not solve every challenge we face, but it will make all the difference along the way.  The lack of a loving atmosphere can ruin our good intentions. We love...

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. (Exodus 14:21) In Genesis 1:2, before God speaks the universe into existence, we find His Spirit hovering over the face of...

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) As residents of North Carolina for the last three decades, we’ve enjoyed some of the best college basketball in the country. Whether you wear the Carolina blue of the UNC Tar Heels or the darker blue of their rivals,...

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5) You probably recall the “Got Milk?” advertisements. Sponsored by the dairy industry, these clever commercials and print ads usually featured a smiling face wearing a classic milk mustache. The idea...

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) In a well-known passage from Psalm 139, David expresses his utmost admiration for the complexity of the human body. He reflects on the fact that God formed our bodies, intricately weaving frame and flesh into a beautiful form that...

Twenty-six years ago this summer, Rachael and I made our first family beach trip to Charleston, South Carolina. We had one infant son at the time, and we had no inkling of the long-standing family tradition we were starting. Since then, we’ve skipped the beach just once when we spent our vacation money to attend...

So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Romans 7:17) In chapter seven of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he discusses and explains an age-old issue: The problem of sin. Have you ever found yourself in Paul’s sandals? You know, those days when you feel prepared to...

“What I Did On My Summer Vacation.” As cliché as that sounds, I distinctly remember each September (back in the days when school started after Labor Day) writing an account of the most memorable events from the previous June through August. I typically discussed the family vacation, afternoons spent at the pool, and evenings playing...