A few months ago, I decided to give pencil sketching a try. I wanted something relaxing to do occasionally that wouldn’t require much investment. At an art store, I purchased a Pentalic sketchbook, a set of tinted German-made Staedtler pencils, and a high-quality eraser. A few weeks later, I added colored pencils and another sketchbook to my collection of supplies. Lacking sketching experience, I looked at pictures I had and did my best to replicate them with pencil drawings. My husband gives me lavish praise for my little sketches. I appreciate his enthusiasm about my new hobby, but he and I both know that I am just beginning. At some point, I would like to take a class or two and get some pointers from an art instructor. One thing I learned right away was the value of an eraser. As I sketched olive branches, lavender sprigs, or a scene from the Holy Land, I found myself reaching for my eraser. When I sketched something that did not look quite right, my eraser got a workout! It dawned on me that God was giving me the most basic lesson on forgiveness. After all, what does baptism do? The Bible uses…

Have you ever shopped for a new car, leaning toward a certain make and model, and suddenly that’s all you seem to see on the road?  It isn’t that more of them appeared overnight—it’s that you’re now aware of what was there all along. In much the same way, I’ve noticed that when God is speaking to me about a particular subject, it seems to show up everywhere—articles, conversations, and even podcasts. Recently, what has captured my attention is the uniqueness of different generations: Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. At the same time, my husband and I have felt a distinct calling to step more intentionally into mentoring within the church. Titus 2 presents a generational pattern: older men should walk uprightly, be sound in faith, and exhort younger men to wisdom and patience. Older women are instructed to live holy lives, teaching younger women how to honor God in their families and relationships, showing love and respect to their husbands. As Brett Harris once said, “The beauty of collaboration between older and younger generations is that we combine strength with wisdom—a powerful force for change.” Each generation carries its own experiences, perspectives, and influences. But when energy, passion,…

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, KJV). “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15–16, KJV). What Does It Mean to Go Beyond? The word beyond means “on the further side of,” “a place not yet reached,” or “to a greater degree or excellence.” We often hear the phrase “above and beyond,” which describes going past what is expected. Students striving for scholarships, employees seeking promotions, and friends supporting loved ones in times of need all demonstrate what it means to go beyond—because they care, they’re invested, and they see purpose. Spiritually, we are called to go beyond ourselves for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel (euangelion in Greek) means “good news”—the message of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. This good news is not meant to be hidden; it must be proclaimed throughout the world as a testimony to every nation. Just as the apostles obeyed…

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if…