Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” Exodus 4:11 (ESV) Blind to the Problem I spent several college summers as a camp counselor. A girl returned for an additional session. I recognized her red hair and … Continue reading Blind, by Becky Antkowiak

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1 ESV. Finding Silence in the Noise: A Reflection on Revelation 8:1 For much of my adult life, I avoided flying. My too-small Eustachian tubes caused unbelievable pressure and pain. Last year, surgery corrected the problem, and … Continue reading Silence, by Becky Antkowiak

“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