Every New Year’s Eve my family writes out resolutions for the New Year and shares them with each other. Writing down resolutions can be a good way to help you accomplish them! Our family’s New Year’s resolutions range from earning a navy belt (last color belt before black) in taekwondo, finishing freshman year with all A’s, reading through the Bible this year, and spending more time with the people…

"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1).

I’m no good at gardening, and so I tend to landscape with plants that require little care and are difficult to kill.  I’ve found that “Knock-out” brand roses grow and bloom like crazy and make it look like I…

When studying God’s Word, I find it insightful to look for actions. I like to identify verbs that show us what people did and determine whether I should emulate that behavior or not.

From the account of Christmas, let’s consider the shepherds. Here is what they first experienced, from Luke Chapter 2:

And in the same region there were shepherds…

Kenwood is featuring blogs by our missionary partners.

Dan and Sarah have served for over twenty years in a middle eastern country. Dan teaches and mentors leaders and Sarah serves migrant domestic workers. Dan is Adjunct Faculty, Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, Founder Director, Enduring Love.  

1 Corinthians 13 is one of the best-known chapters in the Bible. It’s often read at weddings, or quoted in speeches – President Obama referred to it in his first inaugural speech in 2009 (“in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things”). Occasionally 1 Corinthians 13 is even read at funerals – it serves as part of a tribute to the one who loved so well, but is now gone.  …

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.'

 Zechariah asked…

We are featuring some reflections from several of our mission partners. Erin Gehler Layne is a missionary with CRU.  She provides staff assessment, training, and counseling for CRU missionaries.

What are you waiting for? This morning I was reading Luke 3:68-79, Zechariah’s speech on the birth of his son John. This is a classic Advent passage that claims that God was finally bringing about the rescue and the salvation the people of Israel had been waiting and hoping for. Zechariah celebrates the way God was honoring the covenants He had made with David and with Abraham for great blessing.…

For me, Advent is a wonderful reminder of the great love God has for us. The coming of the Messiah not only gives hope but gives eternal life for those who yield to the love found in Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection are full of miracles. The scripture reminds us of many of these: holy conception, in the line of David, a kingdom without end…

In…

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the…