“To God in heaven, the highest glory—and to those on earth, peace . . .” —Luke 2:14, Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase Christmas Grief Interrupts Peace Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the writer famous for poems like “Paul Revere’s Ride” and my childhood favorite, “The Village Blacksmith,” experienced deep despair. He’d buried a child. His wife’s dress caught fire in … Continue reading Peace, by Becky Antkowiak

Fling your burden onto the I AM. He can easily handle anything you throw at him. He will sustain you and will never let you slip.  (Psalm 55:22 Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Cause of Anxiety My imagination almost always operates in overdrive. When a story’s protagonist swings from a precipice forty stories up, I break into a … Continue reading Burden, by Becky Antkowiak

We eagerly wait with steadfast expectation and patient perseverance for the hope we cannot see. (Romans 8:25 Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Luke is adorable, but he’s kind of an idiot. (Before you start quoting Matthew 5:22 at me, Luke is our German Shepherd.) We have a routine. This is how it goes. Every morning, he nudges … Continue reading Wait, by Becky Ankowiak

Jesus will not break a crushed reed, and he will not extinguish a smoldering wick. Just wait; he will bring triumph from the trial. Matthew 12:20, Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase Trials Teach Truth Since my sister left this side of eternity, Matthew 12:20 often echoes in my mind. The idea of being battered but secure pulls me … Continue reading Trial, by Becky Antkowiak

[God] comforts us in all our distress so we’ll be able to comfort others in any distress—using the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:4 Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase). We All Need Comfort A catastrophic brain bleed killed my younger sister. One instant changed our lives. Before she died, I didn’t … Continue reading Comfort, by Becky Antkowiak