Mornings with Jesus

1 min read

WRITING IS MY CALLING. EVEN without compensation, I would write. My latest book explores the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wrote the first draft in 2005. Countless editors rejected it. Over ten years, I rewrote the manuscript no fewer than eig

The Atlantic

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Crises can elicit compassion, but they can also evoke callousness. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve witnessed communities coming together (even as they have sometimes been physically forced apart), and we’ve seen individuals enga

60 Days of Prayer

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Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. PROVERBS 30:5 (NIV) THE BIBLE IS powerful—and if you open your heart and read God’s Word, it has the power to change your life. Look to Scripture for guidance, comfort a

Art Market Magazine

5 min read

Nellien Brewer is a South African artist. She was born in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, in 1961. She qualified as a Landscape Architect from the University of Pretoria in 1982 and spent the next 20 years in this profession. Fine arts, however, always rema

JOY Magazine

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There is tremendous power available to us in God’s Word – and we need to make use of this power in our daily lives. The Bible is full of extraordinary promises for every situation. While no Bible verse tells us explicitly what job or career to pursue

JOY Magazine

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It was quite fun writing my Editor’s Letter this month and typing 2022 on the keyboard. Yippee, we can start all over again! At the same time, I have been doing a huge clean-out of my house and all my cupboards. It’s so liberating. I decided “New Ye

The Christian Science Monitor

2 min read

Theologian and Anglican priest John Barton takes a well-researched look into the context and composition of the Bible.

Mornings with Jesus

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RECENTLY, I NOTICED THAT MY son, Pierce, was on his computer, flipping between two programs to do his schoolwork. The inefficiency made me both batty and curious, so I asked what he was doing. He explained he was fast-forwarding through a twenty-minu

60 Days of Prayer

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For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 (NIV) THIS VERSE REMINDS us that when you are confused or blinded by an unwelcome change in your life, instead of getting bogged down by the past and how your situation could have been avoided,

Mornings with Jesus

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ONE OF THE STRENGTHS I’VE long admired about homeschooling is a principle our family adopted even though we opted to send our children to a small public school—“lifestyle learning.” Making homemade applesauce taught skills like coordination, followin

60 Days of Prayer

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Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. LUKE 12:7 (NIV) WHAT IS ON your mind? If it matters to you, it matters to God. No doubt this has been an especially challenging year wit

JOY Magazine

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The Bible is the handbook for Christianity. It includes every single instruction that we need d in in this this w world to survive. It is the only book that we have directly from God. You would think that as Christians ians who who have have spent ye

60 Days of Prayer

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Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” JOHN 13:7 (NIV) THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES in life beyond your control. Instead of putting your energy into trying to manipulate the situation, focus your faith an

Mornings with Jesus

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NOW, I CAN SEE MORE clearly how my church journey reflects the seasons of my life. As a new Christian, I found a Bible church with a scholarly pastor who taught Scripture verse by verse, and I faithfully took notes. My husband worked most Sundays, so

JOY Magazine

2 min read

– Isaiah 54:17  JOY! Magazine seeks to glorify God by educating and informing Christians of a Biblical Worldview and applying the Lordship of Jesus Christ to all areas of life. Many of you will know, by reading my columns, that I love to apply the

Mornings with Jesus

1 min read

IT’S A TIME OF TRANSITION for our family. My oldest daughter, Grace, just graduated from high school. This whole year has been a series of last times, juxtaposed with all of the possibilities open to her for the future. I’ve been a bit of a train wre

60 Days of Prayer

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The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. PSALM 37:23 (NLT) HENRI NOUWEN WROTE, “You can’t see the whole path ahead, but there is usually enough light to take the next step.” An important part of faith is

60 Days of Prayer

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Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” JOHN 6:28–29 (ESV) THIS VERSE IS a reminder that your life’s work is not about what yo

MEGA

1 min read

WHAT MAKES YOU SMILE? This is probably the easiest question. It’s Hayden and of course Scarlet. I am also always happy when I see Hunter, Cristalle’s son. I think the secret to a happy life is a grateful heart. WHAT IS THE MOST DEFINING MOMENT OF YO

60 Days of Prayer

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Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ISAIAH 30:21 (NIV) JESUS PROMISES THAT He will provide light and guidance when your life takes unexpected turns. Though you

60 Days of Prayer

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But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. MATTHEW 24:13 (KJV) NO MATTER HOW strong your faith, you will always have difficult moments of doubt or times when you feel criticized or misunderstood. When situations like this arise,

Mornings with Jesus

1 min read

A HIGH ENERGY TYPE A person, most of my life I’ve been very disciplined, structured, and motivated. Like all virtues, it has a flipside. While I’ve enjoyed (and shared) tangible benefits from my manic methods, it’s also cost me and others peace and p

60 Days of Prayer

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He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” JOHN 3:2 (NIV) SPEND TIME WITH God. The more you know Him and aspire to be

Mornings with Jesus

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I REMEMBER MY FIRST TRY at evangelizing. It was at a church event held near a local park. We were told to approach strangers in pairs, tell them the Good News, and invite them to church. As a new believer, this was very tough for me. I was tongue tie

60 Days of Prayer

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Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” 1 SAMUEL 7:12 (NIV) JESUS IS YOUR Ebenezer, your stone of support. Imagine that each time Jesus helps you, you receive

Mornings with Jesus

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JUST SAY “NO.” I REMEMBER this phrase plastered as a slogan on posters around my high school. Saying “no” was believed by authority figures to be a talisman that would ward off all manner of teenage vices. Later I built on the power of “no” as I incr

60 Days of Prayer

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But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. LUKE 5:16 (NIV) WHEN YOU FEEL alone or lonely reflect on the above verse. God invites you to turn to Him in prayer. He offers comfort and support. He will meet you in life’s lonely places and giv

60 Days of Prayer

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. HEBREWS 12:1 (NIV) JESUS IS THE pione

JOY Magazine

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A happy and blessed New Year to you all! I expect that many of you will be wondering what 2021 will be like after 2020? My Arnie (Aunty Trish) told me that there are many encouraging and inspiring verses in the Bible for a new year, or new beginning

Mornings with Jesus

1 min read

AS WOMEN, WE CAN BE particularly adept at hiding our lights under a bowl, or a bushel, or under whatever might keep us from shining too brightly. Personally, I know that for every time I’ve found myself listening to a male coworker, friend, or relati