Search For: ‘knowle-zeller’ — 56 pages found

Focal verse “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray” (Proverbs 22:6). Reflection Next to bookshelves in our living room lies a pile of items: a pink and white backpack, sunglasses, a unicorn lunchbox and a headband. “For kindergarten,” my 5-year-old daughter tells me. Since mid-June her kindergarten pile has […]

Focal verse “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Reflection Encouraging our kids to pray seems like one of our easier tasks as parents, yet often I feel as if I’m stumbling in my efforts to do so. […]

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  I grew up loving fireworks. I loved the bright red, green and purple illuminating the night sky; the anticipation I felt as I waited for darkness to descend; that first robust […]

Focal verse “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13). Reflection Beneath the blue sky, a friend and I met for a walk on a nature trail with our collective five kids, […]

Focal verse And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Reflection The church bells rang, signaling the beginning of worship. Members processed into the sanctuary after we sang the opening hymn outdoors. Ahead of me my then 3-year-old daughter walked hand in hand with an octogenarian. For […]

With his small hand reaching out to be held and his blue eyes looking up, he asks, “I go with, Mama?” I’m standing at our front door, bag in hand, ready to leave. I can see his concern as his lip quivers and a tear forms. My 2-year-old, Isaac, doesn’t hesitate to try and join […]

Focal verse “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). Reflection  Once a month (pre-pandemic), the church we attend serves communion at the altar rather than at stations. Members come forward and stand side by side in front of the communion table to receive […]

Focal verse I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:18-19). Reflection The story I’m about […]

Tucked between choir robes and Christmas pageant clothes, I sit with my knees pressed to my torso, breathing quietly. I’m playing one of my favorite youth group games—sardines. Sardines is like hide-and-seek, only backward. One person hides and everyone else must find that individual. Floors creak and muffled laughter rings out as I wait to […]