Author: Beth Vice On days without sunny skies and fluffy white snow, January can feel dark—leafless trees, decay-matted flower beds, and unrelenting cold. It’s a stark contrast to the color and exuberance of Christmas. This is the month I struggle most with depression, overeating, and the desire to hibernate. But taking time to celebrate the…
What Is a Decade Worth?
No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:12 (NASB) A decade’s worth of familyEnough to fill the heartWith hope, love, and happinessEven when we are apart A decade’s worth of hugsEnough to go aroundAt least one for every dayWill make our…
Yuletide Truth
Here is my confession: I believed in Santa until I was eleven. I had suspicions, but as far as I could see I had a good thing going on, and asking questions might mess with the quantity of wrapped bounty strewn beneath the tree Christmas morning. Whether it was Santa or Mom, I didn’t care,…
The Wait of Christmas
Immersed in the sight of snow-packed roads and lightly dusted evergreens, my husband and I drove over the Cascades for Christmas with my family. We were deep in waiting. Waiting to find out why having children wasn’t easy for everyone. Waiting to see if the doctor would take young newlyweds seriously. Waiting for the perfect…
Remembering We are Loved at Christmas
Our pastor sometimes says at the end of the church service, “He loves you and He likes you. Go in peace.” It’s one of my favorite things he does. God likes me? This wasn’t a concept I had any notion of until my adult years. Up until that point, I was still pretty focused on…
Making Room
As we’re entering into the Christmas season, I’ve been trying to slow down and not get caught up in the hustle. It can be so easy to get lost in the to-dos: Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, hosting the perfect family gathering, delivering cookies to all the people, making sure we have the right gift for…
Once When Emmanuel Came
Once when darkness hovered deepThe Godhead planned our souls to keep True Light shone bright and did not sleep Until all that exists He created Once when He promised Abraham Then provided the sacrificial ram To foreshadow the coming atonement Lamb God prospered his many kindred Once His kingdom under David rose Then later evil…
Anchored Printable: Isaiah 9:6
Christmas season is upon us! This time can be filled with parties, presents, and people. It can also be a time of deep mourning and longing for what’s to come. As Christmas day approaches, let this verse linger on your heart and bring you joy, whatever stage of life you may be in right now….
Book Review: Journey, A Path to Biblical Change
We all have places in our lives where we feel the need for change. But we don’t always know how we move from knowledge of our need to actual change. We begin to feel stuck and are tempted to believe we are simply stuck this way. As believers, we know that Christ has made an…
Understanding Wisdom
Wisdom has always sounded like a grown-up word. I can remember hearing stories of Winnie the Pooh and the “Wise Old Owl” being the center of knowledge and direction for A.A. Milne’s lively creatures in the Hundred Acre Wood. I can also remember sitting in Sunday School class as the flannel graph images of King…
Anchored Voices 