Encouragement & Inspiration

We can glimpse God’s signature by using science to understand his Creation. It’s spring, and flowers are blooming in a rainbow of colors. What appeared to be cold, dead earth is coming to life, and landscapers are planting seeds and seedlings. Likewise, this is a good time to grab your kids and plant the seeds...

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. (Joel 2:12-13) Joel may be a minor prophet...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23) According to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Many songs and silly sentences have been created through the...

The secret ingredient of C. S. Lewis’ writing is his wordsmithing. He possessed a rare gift of communicating profound realities in simple terms and, to help us all reflect and celebrate Easter, we’ve collected some of his top quotes on the Resurrection. As we remember the sacrifice of our Savior and His triumph over the...

“The trees once went out to anoint a king over them…” (Judges 9:8) The following is my paraphrase of an Old Testament parable that appears in Judges 9:7-15. Scripture is meant to be enlightening and thought-provoking, and this passage is something of a hidden treasure. Perhaps this story will make for some good bedtime reading...

Deb Bell was the first homeschooler I heard use the phrase, independent learner. For me, an exhausted mother of four at the time, that sounded like heaven. The very idea that my kids might possibly at some point in the distant future be able to learn without my direct supervision sounded wonderful. But I could...

Have you ever eagerly purchased some flowers at a local nursery on a Friday afternoon, brought them home, taken a short break to tend to other matters, and then neglected to plant the flowers the same day? No big deal, right? You’ve got all day Saturday to transplant those beautiful blossoms. Saturday rolls around, and...

Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. (Habakkuk 1:5) Have you ever prayed for months or even years for a personal breakthrough or solution to a problem? After days of feeling like your prayers are bouncing...

Writing about the book of Proverbs, Eugene Peterson says that wisdom is “the art of living skillfully.” In 1 Corinthians 14:33, Paul tells us that our God is not a God of disorder but of peace. Therefore, life should be as simple as figuring out steps one, two, and three and doing them, right? Shouldn’t the...

Twentieth-century illustrator Norman Rockwell was famous for his iconic depictions of everyday life in America. His distinctive style and subject matter captured the optimism and can-do spirit of his time, most notably in the 322 original covers he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine. For the March 6, 1954 issue, Rockwell painted “Girl at Mirror,” one...