[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
The Ammonite commanders said, “Hanun, do you really believe David sent this delegation to express sympathy for the loss of your father? Don’t you think his intent is to explore the city, find its weak points, and overthrow it?” 1 Samuel 10:3 (Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Intent Matters As a child, I loved the movie Pollyanna. A … Continue reading Intent, by Becky Antkowiak
Having been bereaved of you for a short time—our separation is in body, but not in heart—we greatly desire to see your face. 1 Thessalonians 2:17 (BNP, Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Separation is Painful Death is painful. We feel the physical separation deeply, even as our heart clings to connection with the one we miss. When … Continue reading Separation, by Becky Antkowiak
Be perpetually prepared for opportunities to give a gentle and respectful explanation when people ask you to explain the hope they see in you. (1 Peter 3:15 Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) In-your-Face Evangelism The churches we attended through my early life celebrated in-your-face evangelism. 1 Peter 3:15 always felt like a command to accost unbelievers, probably because … Continue reading Ask, by Becky Antkowiak
You were born for this exact moment in time. (Esther 4:14, Becky’s No-nonsense Paraphrase) Time of Opportunity Throughout the Bible, the idea of a moment of opportunity at a particular time is important. “Heroes of the faith” like Jael, Rahab, Esther, Jonah, Joshua, and even Jesus acted for a specific purpose at a particular time … Continue reading Time