The angel has come and gone. Months of uncomfortable questions have given birth to something more. Shepherds who came with loud silence, offering praise and muffled awe, have faded into that dark night leaving just strange stories behind. Mary’s joy has not faded, and that uncelebrated birth, marked by livestock and open air, will be...
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Historically, the Christian church has set aside the four weeks before December 25 to focus on humanity’s deep longings, our need for Jesus to come into this world—including our longing for his second Advent (his return). So, originally the celebration of Christmas did not begin until Christmas Day itself. December 25 kicked off a 12-day...
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Leviticus, the book where attempts to read through the Bible in a year die. The initial rush of enthusiasm lasts through Genesis, with its primeval history and patriarchal narratives, rides the emotional high of Exodus 1–20, struggles through the legal and tabernacle material that comprises the rest of the book… and then slams into a...
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Have you ever read a passage in the Bible, and found yourself thinking it to be rather odd? There’s no question that some passages in the Bible seem very strange when we read them at first. Consider passages like the time a donkey talked to Balaam (Numbers 22:27–30), the time God chose people who lapped...
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On January 2, 2023, Quentin Colon Roosevelt became one of the youngest ever people elected to office in Washington, D.C. at 18 years old. His office? Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Single-Member District 3D03. You can be forgiven if you have not heard of Mr. Colon Roosevelt or his elected office and if you do not...
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I’ve been a sports fan as long as I can remember and have enjoyed many a good sports movie. My earliest sports film recollection is one by Warren Beatty called Heaven Can Wait. Beatty’s character was named Joe Pendleton. He was the star quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams and on the verge of leading...
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