In 2013 the movie, Lincoln, was released. I saw it twice in the theater. I learned about President Lincoln’s perseverance in getting the thirteenth amendment to the constitution passed–the amendment that abolished slavery. It was a tough fight because slavery had become woven into the fabric of our nation. The economy…
During WWII Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany. Like many occupied countries, there was a resistance movement. Mandy Robotham has written a historical fiction book, The Resistance Girl, based on events that took place during that time. The main character, Rumi, is a young woman who is the daughter of…
When I attended the Law and Life Summit at a conference center this summer, I discovered that the Catholic Writer’s Guild was also meeting. The Guild sessions were open to Law and Life attendees, so I joined a couple offerings. Stephanee Landsem was presenting at one of the sessions. I…
This fall our women’s Bible study will be reading the book of Revelation. The study book we are using is titled Behold, Jesus Is Coming. Revelation is an intense prophetic book. This prophetic book can be intimidating, but the time is right to dig in. The Bible is the story of…
The Law and Life Summit met this week in a nearby convention center. I was one of a few non-Catholics in attendance. I have learned from Catholics and respect the deep commitment they have to life. The conference opened with Rev. Frank Pavone (Priests for Life) participating in a dialogue.…
The Bible records remarkable human stories. Rahab was a harlot living in Jericho. She had heard about the God of Israel and she believed what she heard. And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went…
In the weeks preparing to visit our new grandson I spent evenings knitting—first a blanket and then a lovey. Knitting is a calming activity. It requires me to stay focused on counting stitches while following a pattern. In the heavy season of worldwide troubles, my mind rests while I knit. …
This post was originally posted in 2017. As women in the United States we can give thanks for the progress that has been made in women’s rights and opportunities. My maternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmothers immigrated to Michigan from Finland. With great effort they raised families while managing subsistence farms.…
On Sunday and Wednesday evenings the World Prayer Network meets on the internet. Prayers are raised for concerns around the world. This past Sunday prayers were offered in support of the 34 nations that have signed the Geneva Consensus Declaration. It was encouraging to learn about this document written in…
The last sentence in the book of Judges points to a time of disarray. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. There was no accountability. At critical moments in Israel’s history, women’s faithful prayers and actions made an impact on the future. During the period of the judges, the…