Confession: I've ever seen a scary movie, never been to a haunted house. I cringe at creepy, crawly decorations and I dread a month of gory programs on television. But... my neighbors seem to like Halloween very much. They're hanging spider webs and bats (and occasionally even people) in their yards, choosing costumes and stocking up on candy. This year, I'm going to take advantage of Halloween to meet my neighbors. This is not the time to debate whether Halloween is right or wrong, good or...

Over a year ago, I taped this verse to my computer, "I am determined to know nothing when I am with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2). It was a pragmatic, simple little thing. I have unattainably high German principles, Dutch opinions, and a scorching Irish temper. These did not "work well" on Facebook. I was easily angered and sharp-tongued...gifted in the realm of snarky comments. Naturally good with words, I would use them to cut people and their obviously...

“I want to do great things for God!” Every good Christian says it. But putting it into action is terribly difficult. I would know. In 12 years of marriage, my husband and I moved 10 times. Each move, I would say, “THIS time! This time I will share my faith and do great things for God!” Fast forward a couple months, and there I was. Packing up boxes, wondering where the time went, feeling ashamed that I had not shared the gospel. What was my problem? My problem was that I honestly THOUGHT I...

Do you ever feel like you could have done more, you would have if only you'd had more time, and guilty about all the things you think you should have done? {sigh} Me, too. This has been the busiest season of my life. It took everything I had—spiritually, emotionally, physically—yet I still felt like I could have, would have, should have done more. Immediately after the book launch in early May, we had two proms and our daughter graduated from high school. We put our house in Ohio up for sale,...

We have, once again, experienced great evil. An armed man entered Umpqua Community College in Oregon and killed 10 people. The temptation is to try and make sense of evil. The urge is to think frantically for a magic answer, or throw our hands up in despair.  Write the world off as going to hell in a hand basket. I have been through this thought process myself as we face shooting after shooting.  Horror after horror. But, God keeps bringing one verse to mind. Over and over. "Many are asking,...