This phrase has a hold on me this year. “All is calm, all is bright.” My heart yearns for this. You will recognize this second line of “Silent Night” describing the first Christmas. As we sing, we’re tempted to picture Mary and Joseph haloed in light in a nice clean stable, surrounded by serene animals,…
Category: Beth Vice
Leading Ladies of the Bible
When the Bible was written women were not considered men’s equals; they had no rights. Single or widowed women had to depend on the generosity of their families. Yet God repeatedly inspired those writing His Word to exalt the role of womanhood. Their stories are told in vivid detail, with all the passion, heartbreak, and…
October’s Darkness and Light
I grew up in a Christ-centered home full of love, music, and laughter, but for some reason from a young age, I was attracted to the macabre. I read a lot of Edgar Allen Poe and loved lying alone in my darkened bedroom. One afternoon on my bunk, I felt a sinister presence with me…
A Funny Thing Happened On My Way to Perfection
I’ve always expected perfection from myself. But I’m always disappointed. My husband tells me I’m unrealistic since none of us are perfect except Christ. I know I fall dismally short of His example, but from an early age, that has been my longing. My story: I grew up in a loving home filled with laughter,…
No Place Like Home
I love to travel. I love seeing new places and coming home packed with memories to savor. But often I don’t sleep well on trips, even when we stay in the best hotels. Whether our days are full of sightseeing, hiking, and shopping, or sleeping late and laying by the pool, I never fully let…
I Stand Corrected
I have been reprimanded several times lately, by different individuals. Even though not all were harshly delivered, they took me by surprise and bit into my fragile ego. I instantly felt like an eight year old, caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I’m a grandma for goodness sake! Shouldn’t I be past the…
You Mean I Can Say No?
I wish someone had told me this sooner in life. Somehow I grew up with the idea Christians, specifically Christian women, should always say Yes when a request is made of them. Obviously we’re supposed to say No to evil, but I didn’t understand it’s okay with God, and clearly communicated in His Word, that…
10 Ways to Make Each Day Count (Coronavirus Lockdown Edition)
Many people have responded to this crisis in destructive ways—theft, aggression, addiction, abuse, greed, despair, and suicide. But positivity is also on the rise. Here are ten great ways people are filling their extra, or at least redefined, time at home: Projects People are digging in— getting rid of stuff, finishing projects they haven’t had…
You Are Essential
If someone in your household is a first responder, health care worker, in the food industry, a trucker, or mechanic (and many others I haven’t listed) they are essential for keeping our society functioning. Most of our “essentials” are working long hours, minimally staffed, and dangerously exhausted. We are praying non-stop for God to grant…
I Saw, I Wanted, I Took
What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho Cheese. And why would we want someone else’s cheese? It’s called envy, and it’s been around since Lucifer lived in unsurpassed beauty as a member of the host of heaven. He was not satisfied with his position there. He not only wanted God’s cheese—He wanted to…
Anchored Voices 