Lauren Gaskill has a lot going on: she's an inspirational writer, editor, Christian speaker and food blogger with a passion for inspiring people, and helping others overcome chronic illness, grow in their faith and experiment in the kitchen. Her blog, Making Life Sweet, is delicious; I  made her her Pumpkin Chili and it was amazing! But all her pursuits still left time - no, necessity - for getting to know her neighbors. Enjoy Lauren's story.   I’ve never been extremely close to any of my...

Brenda Nixon and I connected over our common Ohio roots and our love for our neighbors - especially the ones who are oh-so-different from us. Brenda's 35th book, Beyond Buggies and Bonnets: Seven True Stories of Former Amish, chronicles her experiences "adopting" two Amish runaways, befriending and helping others. In this guest post she shares tips to love your different neighbor whether they're Amish, atheist, or somewhere in between.   Who is our neighbor? Biblical scholars have...

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...