Awkward conversations occur often. You round a corner in a bookstore and bump into an ex-boyfriend—who introduces you to his new girlfriend. You sit next to an acquaintance at a dinner...

We take comfort in familiarity. For Simon Peter, fishing is familiar. We assume that he’s already seen the risen Lord with the other disciples. But there’s been no specific mention of...

The end of the New Testament begins a new song. Amid the letters, visions, beasts, and riddles of Revelation are these spoken verses set to music over the centuries. They are...

By the end of Psalm 30, David has made a difficult vow. God has pulled him to safety and turned his tear fest into a dancing festival. Rescued, David composes a...

Long before Jesus of Nazareth healed people with a touch, the God of David healed with a pull: “I will exalt you, Lord, because you pulled me up” (ceb). Pushing and...

Lord, I’ll do anything for you—but. . . . ” How easy discipleship seems without a Saul. Ananias, a disciple who has divine visions and hears the Lord’s voice, seems to...

When the alarm wakens us in the early morning hours, we reach for a lamp switch. The sudden entrance of light causes us to blink—and maybe yawn. When the closing credits...

When we hear the word witness used in a religious context, we think in terms of a verb—something we do, a spiritual obligation that overwhelms us with feelings of inadequacy. But...

I started a new job recently, working in a retail environment where I was basically starting over. I had much to learn: same field, new company. The new work overlapped some...

Fear hangs heavy in the air. The authorities have brutally executed the disciples’ leader. Clearly the authorities intend to squelch this burgeoning threat. How far will they go with this crusade?...