Word of the day…expeditions
It would seem my journey has come to an end, but it’s only a milestone. I finally completed my first rough draft, and (spoiler alert!) they did arrive at their destination. You knew they had to or I wouldn’t be here. They are my ancestors after all. But you don’t know how. Many times, in…
The Best Christmas Ever…
“Jesus is the Reason for the Season” has long been a familiar Christmas phrase. I’d like to share a short personal story from before I knew Jesus, showing how that statement became meaningful in my life. For many years, Christmas was simply a time to eat, drink, and be merry—a reason to party. I celebrated…
The Amazing Gift
Philippians 2 I enjoy the Christmas season for many reasons, but especially for one huge reason – I get to reflect on the amazing gift the Father gave in Jesus. Truly, the Father has given us a gift that is infinite, awesome and inexhaustible in wonder. I have trouble wrapping my mind around the grandeur…
Christmas Hope in the Midst of Conflict
From Bethlehem to the Nations: SAT-7 Shares Christ’s Birth Christmas is a season of light, joy, and celebration, but for many across the Middle East and North Africa, it is also a season shadowed by conflict, displacement, and poverty. In the midst of these realities, SAT-7 is faithfully broadcasting the Good News of Christ’s birth…
Advent
As I’ve reviewed several descriptions of Advent, a common thread of thought is that of a time of reflection looking forward in preparation. We celebrate the birth and first coming of Christ as well as look forward with preparation in mind for the second coming of our Lord Jesus. In a time when family gatherings…
More Christmas recipes
Have you tried the peppernuts yet from our last newsletter? They are called “pay-pa-nates” in Low German, or Plaudietsch, which my character, Gertie, would have been speaking. I tried the extra suggestions to make the process go easier, and it did! After the dough had been in the refrigerator for several days, I rolled it…
Traditional Mennonite Peppernuts Recipe for the Holidays
Mennonites, as with any ethnic groups, have special traditions that make their holiday season memorable and unique. It seems there is always food associated with holiday traditions, and for Mennonites it is no different. I will share a recipe that is my favorite which becomes addictive, luring you with its aroma and spicy crunch. It…
Go it alone
“We can go it alone.” The trend in churches today seems to be thinking we don’t need a governing body over us, we can go it alone. Then they pull away from association with a greater body to become independent. This is a dangerous move in today’s environment. Satan prowls around seeking whom he may…
Oops!
Sorry to confuse you, but my brother pointed out an error in my statement in the very last line of my post. I’ve corrected it. Please read the last paragraph again for the update.
Anabaptists, Mennonites, Amish, Oh my!
So, what’s the difference? Martin Luther started it all in 1517 quite unintentionally. He didn’t realize how farreaching his statements would be when he criticized the established church for imposing indulgences to grant full or partial remission of the punishment of sin. But because of the invention of the printing press, his statements spread like wildfire. One…
There and here…Gertie & Isaac vs. Lewis & Clark
As I started my first book, I researched the political climate in Prussia at the time of this story and compared it to what America was experiencing at the same time. The Revolutionary War in America had just ended, and Lewis & Clark were striking out on their venture to find a waterway from the…
Miles City to Yellowstone: A Journey of Surprises
After arriving in Miles City we hunted for a place to eat. This town apparently rolled up the sidewalks at 7 p.m. and it was now 9:30 p.m., way past our dinner time, and we were hungry. It ended up that McDonald’s was the only place open. We got two meal-deals, two iced teas, and…
Navigating the Perils of GPS Misadventures
“These dang GPS’s! Why would they take us all the way across the province in the opposite direction than we want to go? Just to be on a main highway all the way? We’re not afraid of secondary roads. We can go the way we went last time. We know the way to the border.”…
Humble Spirit: Key to Forgiveness and the Kingdom
Some time back, I was hurt by someone in our church community. It shattered my life. I felt like something inside of me died. I felt the sting every time I entered the church building. I thought I could never forgive that person. But, healing did come by realizing that I was not perfect and…
Every Nation Before the Throne
Every nation, every tribe and and all peoples and languages. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out…
Boost Your Brainpower with Mental Calisthenics
There are different ways of doing mental calisthenics. One is to try new things. Every time you try something new, you create new pathways in your brain, which keeps you from engraving even deeper the ruts you’re in. Along with new things, stretch your brain by trying things that you think are beyond yourself. Step…
Why Jesus Came
The Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14
The Word was God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1 Jesus was the Word that spoke creation into existence. He was there at the beginning with God and He was God from the very beginning.
Praise and Worship: A Deep Dive into Psalm 103:1
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalm 103:1 ESV
Seeking Help in the Most Unlikely Place
Jonathan and Grace entered the little, inconspicuous building partially hidden by tall, unkempt bushes along the front. They weren’t as timid this time as they entered. Now, they had a reason for being there and kind of knew what to expect. They felt a little familiarity with the place. As they entered, the same diminutive…
The Power of Asking, Seeking, Knocking
A couple found themselves on their own in the middle of a foreign country. They met a man who exuded power and self-confidence. He could help them through any kind of circumstance, all they needed to do was ask for him. A while later, they did need help, their passports and plane tickets were stolen.…
Embracing Peace: A Year-Long Journey
We’ve come to the last in my series of special words for the Christmas season…Love, Joy, PEACE. ‘Tis the season for PEACE. I know it’s past Christmas, but these words should be a part of our vocabulary all year. In fact, I have an annual tradition of picking a word for the year, a…
‘Tis the Season
What’s the present tense of ’twas, as in “’twas the night before Christmas”? The present tense of ’twas is ’tis, as in ’tis the season to be jolly. But what is the season really for? Many people feel ‘tis the season to go into debt to buy toys and gifts you would not go into…
After the victory, then what?
There is a phenomenon that happens after claiming a huge victory. You can fall lower than where you were before the victory. I’m sure you’ve experienced this. When you, as a child, went to Bible camp. You had a great time with all your friends. No parents on your case. Lots of interesting activities to…
It’s a beautiful day!
“The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork.” Psalm 19.1 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,…
Mary, Martha, and Me
Yesterday, a roofing salesman came to the door. Since four storms tore through our area earlier in the season, numerous roofing companies have come but found little damage. We told this gentleman that, but he argued that many people in our area were getting their roofs repaired. He just wanted to check. So, we…
Love Across Differences: Lessons from Jesus and Judas
“Men, we are here to celebrate the Passover, remembering when the Father saved his people from the death angel. When the angel saw blood on the doorposts, he passed over that house. God’s people were saved to be a representative of Him among the nations. Today, I have given you an example of what my…
Soaring
Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) I was tired – dog-tired! I came back from vacation tired. I needed a vacation to rest up from my…
Christian Writer’s Conference 2024
The Write His Answers Christian Writer’s Conference for 2024 has come and gone. It was another four days packed with useful information and valuable networking with other writers, agents, editors, and publishers. All of this coming at you like a firehose rather than a water fountain. Looking back and reviewing notes is vital for the…
Marilynn Lester 