Which part of the interpretation recorded in verses 20-27 do you imagine was most disturbing to King Nebuchadnezzar? “I would imagine the living with wild animals, eating grass like cattle, and sleeping outside every night.” Glance back at Daniel 2:48-49. What had Nebuchadnezzar done for Daniel after he interpreted the first dream? “He had madeContinue reading “from Rachel: Break Off”
Category Archives: Seven Deadly Sins
The Temptation of Sloth
Dearest Rachel – I realize that, given the fact that I’m fighting the remnants of both jet lag and a cold, I might be forgiven for falling behind in my self-imposed efforts to contact you every day (especially given that, by constantly failing asleep, there’s rather little about the day to relate to you inContinue reading “The Temptation of Sloth”
In Praise of Impurity
Dearest Rachel – You’re probably looking at that title, and bracing yourself for what is commonly referred to here on the interwebs as “a hot take.” There’s likely to be a heavy dose of self-justification and attempts to explain my position on this matter, especially considering that the words as put up there seem, onContinue reading “In Praise of Impurity”
from Rachel: The Obstacle of Pride
In Isaiah 26:8, what do the people desire or value? “God’s name and renown” Place an X on the scale to indicate how you would estimate the visibility of God in your life. “(about 8 out of 10 on a scale from practically invisible to conspicuous)” How does Isaiah 4:8 say God responds to thisContinue reading “from Rachel: The Obstacle of Pride”
from Rachel: The Reign of Uzziah
Isaiah 1:1 lists the four kings who reigned over Judah during Isaiah‘s life. Find their names in the list below and order their reigns 1, 2, 3, 4. “1. Uzziah“2. Jotham“3. Ahaz“4. Hezekiah” What did Isaiah call his wife? “the prophetess” The name Uzziah means “the Lord is my strength.” In what ways does thisContinue reading “from Rachel: The Reign of Uzziah”
Maybe It Does Bother Me
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another earworm, another memory of something done or said. This time, it’s a bit more recent (as opposed to something during your lifetime), and it’s a bit of a regret, to be honest. But then, it was ‘being honest’ that got me here. Let’s start with the earworm, and seeContinue reading “Maybe It Does Bother Me”
An Antidote for Anger
Dearest Rachel – It can be funny sometimes when the pastoral team (many of whom are younger than I, and thus should have considerably less difficulty in appearing ‘hip’ or ‘trendy’) admit to the same sins they’re talking about, in an effort to be relatable. Not that they aren’t guilty of such sins, or thatContinue reading “An Antidote for Anger”
A Junkie’s Confession
Dearest Rachel – It’s hard to realize that I’ve written twelve hundred letters to you since your departure. Oh, don’t worry, it’s not like I’ve been counting as I’ve been sending them off; the website does that for me. But I’m sure that over all those letters, I’ve repeated myself quite a bit, and you’llContinue reading “A Junkie’s Confession”
Behind the Purple Door
Dearest Rachel – Well, I mentioned in my last letter that there were topics that I can’t write about here in any detail – and then I proceeded to go into more detail than I thought possible, but only about the first two of them. And these weren’t even the ones that I actively avoidContinue reading “Behind the Purple Door”
Of Horses, Birds and Muffins
Dearest Rachel – I came up to the home office to update my weight chart (I seem to be once again stuck at a plateau, unable to move the needle unless I cut back down to no more than a single meal a day. Still, at least I’m staying a long way from where IContinue reading “Of Horses, Birds and Muffins”
On Seth and Cain
Dearest Rachel – These characters aren’t the ones I saw as I was climbing from the depths of sleep in the chair in the family room the other night. Their living conditions were most likely as primitive as those you might picture from the stone age, whereas I envisioned scenes from a mansion with aContinue reading “On Seth and Cain”
from Rachel: Awake My Soul, Tune In!
What does 2 Corinthians 5:7 say about your status now that you are in Christ? “I am a new creation.” Scripture says that accessories come with your “newness.” What are they? On the following thought closet bins write a truthful statement you can say to your soul to reinforce what God has given you. “ItContinue reading “from Rachel: Awake My Soul, Tune In!”
Self-Indulgence and Survivor’s Guilt
Dearest Rachel – Among the many reasons why I wish you were still here, you could remind me of some of the things we did together back in the day. I have mostly vague recollections, and the occasional sharp image or phrase, but that’s about it. Sometimes, the only way I can remember when somethingContinue reading “Self-Indulgence and Survivor’s Guilt”
The End of Pride Month…?
Dearest Rachel – So, today is June 30th. And we all know what that means: the end of Pride Month, apparently. WordPress even got in on the act a couple of days early; their app, which has been a swirl of colors for most of the month, changed back to its standard basic blue onContinue reading “The End of Pride Month…?”
Letters to Rachel 