June 28 Note: This is the second post in a mini-series on Jesus’s righteous anger, and how we can respond to evil like him. Holding my brother’s hand was the very last thing I wanted to do when I was angry at him. But as eight- and ten-year-olds, that was our punishment for fighting. My anger … Continue reading Jesus’ Anger Makes Room
June 14 Note: This is the first post in a mini-series on Jesus's righteous anger, and how we can respond to evil the way he did. Masked people held cardboard signs on my newsfeed this morning: “White counterprotesters mock Floyd’s killing.”[i] I clicked on the picture to read about people calling good evil and evil … Continue reading Be Angry Like Jesus
June 7 “Adam had no idea one bite could cause all of this.” Jackie Hill Perry’s latest Instagram photos have exposed the violence, hatred, fire, and war ravaging America right now. Her caption stung me. Violence and hatred and fire and war wouldn’t be ravaging us if Adam hadn’t stooped to join Eve in her … Continue reading “It Will Not Be So in the Mended Wood”
When God made our father and mother out of dust and ribs, he filled their hearts with his perfect presence. It’s why there was no jealousy or idolatry or adultery in Eden. All of man’s cravings were aimed at God and quenched by God. Then Adam and Eve bit a hole into what was forbidden, … Continue reading Eden, Ecclesiastes, and Our Insatiable Appetite
March 15 The world is bleeding, your sin makes you groan, you’re restless for the Day when Jesus renews all things. Maybe “Your kingdom come” is a prayer you’ve adopted. I mentioned last week that I’ve been thinking more about the kingdom and praying for it to come soon. But my study of Psalm 119 … Continue reading Part Two: Why Do You Pray These Three Words?
January 5 I’m going to be honest. New Year’s resolutions are often a way I scramble for control— over my health, my schedule, my dreams, my relationships, my life. At the root can be a self-consumed motive to be better, do better, look better. God is unmasking that sin inside me and piloting me on … Continue reading The “Why” Behind Our Resolutions
This month marks two years since I launched Bethany J’s Journal and became a blogger. Since October 2017, I’ve made pages of mistakes. I’ve fought discouragement. I’ve tried to craft better sentences. I’ve been enraptured by who God is and how he chooses to use me. And this month, I’ve realized it’s time for a … Continue reading Why I’m Rethinking My Blog Schedule
August 18 It’s been a crazy, hard, good, busy week and God has been carving truths into my heart. Here’s one: His plan is perfect. I like to schedule out my hours, my days, and my life. Just this week, I bought a calendar to set on my desk. I scribble words into the boxes … Continue reading When My Plan Isn’t Perfect
People have disliked Monday morning for decades. Today, we take it a step further with coffee mugs and t-shirts and ball caps to broadcast our complaints. Wake me when it’s Friday. I don’t do Mondays. Coffee and dogs and weekends. The message is clear: Weekends are fun. Mondays (and Tuesdays and Wednesdays) aren’t. But like … Continue reading Don’t Worship the Weekend
Two thousand years ago a sinless man set his face toward Jerusalem. He heaved a cross on his shoulders and climbed a hill outside the city gates. He let seething men drill nails through his veins. He hung against the wood, bleeding, gasping, dying, forsaken. He bore the foaming ocean of God’s wrath so we … Continue reading Meditation, Celebration, and a Good Friday Playlist
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