Know Thyself
Chapter 1 of the book of Esther is a cautionary tale of the consequences of foolish decision-making. There are many lessons that we can glean from the foolish choices made by King Ahasuerus in Esther 1:13-18. King Ahasuerus, insulted and humiliated by Queen Vashti,...
Know Thyself
Chapter 1 of the book of Esther is a cautionary tale of the consequences of foolish decision-making. There are many lessons that we can glean from the foolish choices made by King Ahasuerus in Esther 1:13-18. King Ahasuerus, insulted and humiliated by Queen Vashti,...
The Turning Point
For almost two decades, I taught high school English and spent most of my day reading stories with teenagers. I created a handout for my students to learn the key elements of a great story. Together, we would analyze the plot, identify the key moments, and discuss...
Repent and Be Reconciled
I struggle with perfectionism in my flesh, and this often seeps into my relationships. For the longest time, I thought that I had to be “perfect” to be loved. Along with this belief, I thought that my friendships could be “perfect,” too. I can remember many times when...
Strong, Firm, and Steadfast
I love a good story. One full of ups and downs, twists and turns. A story of "rags to riches," usually with a hero, some bad guys, a bit of romance, and definitely a happy ending! I love the story of Joseph. A huge chunk—twenty...
Better Than Our Own
Joseph’s story is an encouraging example of how God’s plans are better than our own, even when we don’t understand what is going on. Joseph had dreams, literally, about what God had promised to do in his life. He dreamed He would be a leader and that even his...
Momentary Suffering
“For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” –2...
Don’t Give Up
I sat in the school drop-off line with my daughter the morning after one of her soccer games. We were both weary and frustrated by the outcome of the game, and she was telling me about all the things that didn’t go according to plan. It was an extensive list that...
There is a Better Way
Deuteronomy 30 touched me deeply when I read it. It is a powerful passage in which Moses gave the Israelites final encouragement before he died. They had been wandering for forty years in the wilderness at this point, and I cannot imagine how tired and confused they...
Changing Enemies to Heirs
I recently spent a weekend away with a group of friends, some of whom I’ve known deeply for decades and some of whom I knew less intimately at the time. I read today’s verses while I traveled, in anticipation of this study, and I was struck by how often the topic of...
Wrestling With God
I can remember sitting in Sunday school when I first heard the story of Jacob wrestling with God. I was confused by the idea of a man wrestling with Almighty God and I was even more confused at the purpose of the story. Why did God wrestle with Jacob? Why did Jacob...
More Than Enough
“Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the...
Choose Life
Can I ask you a question? Are you indecisive? Are you hesitant in making choices? Perhaps you are like my friend who agonizes over the menu in a restaurant because she just can’t choose, and when we go shopping she comes home empty-handed because she couldn’t make up...
Some Things Take Time
“Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow...
The Gift of God’s Mercy
Ten years before I met my husband, I thought God had planned for me to marry another man. I moved forward in this relationship believing that I knew exactly what God’s will was—except it wasn’t. I ended up alone and heartbroken and wondering what went wrong. I realize...
Never Abandoned
I was born and raised in a Christian family, in a small village called Kinyinya in Tanzania. We were taught to go to church and give an offering, but I did not know why I was going to church. While in high school, I met a friend who shared the gospel of Christ with...
God’s Promises
God is sovereign. I can understand that truth in my mind, but putting that truth into practice in my life is much harder. I know God’s ways are higher than my ways, but when I can’t see or understand His ways and His decisions, then it is harder for me to accept and...
Introduction
We are constantly making choices. Often, our choices involve choosing the things of the world or choosing the things of God. We can easily be tempted to choose what is easy, what allows us to get ahead quickly, or what we believe is best. The lives of Jacob and Joseph...
Choosing God Translations
The Choosing God Instead of the World study journal is currently available in 20 languages, with more in process! Choosing God Instead of the World for Kids is available for download in 8 languages! Help us spread our translations around the world by sending this...
Materials Now Available!
We are one week away from our next study, Choosing God Instead of the World! We begin the Choosing God Instead of the World Bible study on Monday, August 8, and we couldn’t be more excited to dig into God’s Word with you! We're thrilled you've joined us this fall to...
A Woman Who Fears the Lord
I’m sure many of us are familiar with Proverbs 31, even if you’ve never studied this chapter in-depth before. Perhaps you’ve heard people talking about being a “Proverbs 31 woman” or have seen someone’s social media username as “prov31girl.” Maybe around Mother’s Day,...
What We Have Seen and Heard
We were sitting on the couch in our pajamas reading a story and eating goldfish crackers. “Wasn’t that a great story about Jesus? We love Jesus!” I exclaimed to my grandson as I laid the children’s Bible on the coffee table. Suddenly, the pint-sized evangelist...
God Be Near
History repeats itself. In this case, horribly. The term genocide wasn’t coined until 1944, but Oxford defines it as, “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.” Such...
Wholehearted Worship
My mum was a quiet lady; she was gentle and kind and wise. Growing up, I always remember her using the expression, "Actions speak louder than words." She used it to teach me the value of showing that I meant something was more authentic than just saying the words and...
Held By God’s Hand
The story of Ruth and Naomi is a treasure. I sometimes do not realize how hard it must have been for both of these women. Naomi lost her two sons and husband, and Ruth lost her husband. For women in that day, this meant that their family name and property might not be...
Sing to the Lord
I love worship music. Some of my most powerful moments with God have been during worship, listening to the body of Christ praising His name. When I close my eyes and focus on the words I’m singing back to the Lord, I’m more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit. ...