Knitting in the dark

Advent 2025, Week 3: Psalm 139, Part 3 This guest post is by Molly Stouffer, a ministry student at Regent University. I’ve been trying to learn how to crochet since 2023. People who aren’t familiar with knitting or crocheting might see them as the same thing. I disagree entirely. I can kind of do crocheting,Continue reading “Knitting in the dark”

Do you feel comfort and/or anxiety in God’s presence?

Advent 2025, Week 3: Psalm 139, Part 2 This guest post is by Molly Stouffer, a ministry student at Regent University. In Psalm 139, verse 11, David writes, “Darkness shall cover me.” The word, “cover,” in the Hebrew is the same word that’s used all the way back in Genesis 3:15, when God is speakingContinue reading “Do you feel comfort and/or anxiety in God’s presence?”

The confusion of darkness

Advent 2025, Week 3 – Psalm 139, Part 1 This guest post is by Molly Stouffer, a ministry student at Regent University. I want you to imagine with me waking up in the middle of the night. And instead of drifting off to sleep again, you realize something. You aren’t where you fell asleep. You’reContinue reading “The confusion of darkness”

Ancient wisdom for the dark times in life

Advent 2025, Week 1: Psalm 112, Part 4 When we are in dark, difficult situations, we are often self-focused, wallowing in our misfortune and hurt.  It is not wrong to sit with our pain. In fact sitting in our pain is needed for a time. As I mentioned in the previous post, when we feelContinue reading “Ancient wisdom for the dark times in life”

Mighty children and fabulous wealth

Advent 2025, Week 1: Psalm 112, Part 3 Two of the primary hopes parents long for is (1) that their children do well, and (2) that they have enough money to provide for their kids. Parents can expend mountains of emotional energy on these two important concerns throughout the parenting years, and even long afterContinue reading “Mighty children and fabulous wealth”

We all need to have our hearts broken – David’s heart after God, Part 5

Have you ever had your heart broken? Maybe the other person cheated.  Maybe the other person terminated the relationship.  Maybe they moved away.  Maybe they lied.  There are loads of reasons for a broken heart when you are in love.  In today’s post, we’re going to learn that we all need our hearts broken. ButContinue reading “We all need to have our hearts broken – David’s heart after God, Part 5”

What I learned from a Shakespeare class about God’s word – David’s heart after God, Part 4

For my undergraduate studies, I attended a Bible college, so it might surprise you that my top five classes included a class that wasn’t specifically related to Bible, theology, or ministry. One of my top five was Shakespeare. For that class, we read something like five of his plays.  Also, my professor, Dr. Joan Tompkins,Continue reading “What I learned from a Shakespeare class about God’s word – David’s heart after God, Part 4”

What to do when your heart is filled with fear and pain – David’s heart after God, Part 3

You’re getting old, wrinkly, flabby?  Fear not!  “Just purchase our wonder cream to help your skin, and you’ll be young again in no time.”  You feeling uncertain about finances in the future?  Fear not!  “Just contact our investment firm, and we will get you ready.”  You feeling stressed out by the pressures of life?  FearContinue reading “What to do when your heart is filled with fear and pain – David’s heart after God, Part 3”

The active life choices of a heart like God’s – David’s heart after God, Part 2

David’s psalms are like his personal prayer journal.  When you put them together, we can learn a lot about what David thought.  In the rest of the posts this week, we’re going to look at how David writes about the heart in his psalms. Through David’s comments on the heart, we will learn more aboutContinue reading “The active life choices of a heart like God’s – David’s heart after God, Part 2”

Why the King David tell-all memoir is a good thing – David’s heart after God, Part 1

A few years ago Prince Harry wrote Spare, a sometime lurid memoir that deeply upset some in the British royal family. It’s not just royals or famous people. Who wants their personal struggles on the headlines? I would venture a guest that hardly anyone wants that kind of negative publicity. Even after a loved oneContinue reading “Why the King David tell-all memoir is a good thing – David’s heart after God, Part 1”