Author: mbethany
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O Little Town of Mayhem
It seems Bethlehem was busy the night Jesus was born. Many people were traveling for the census, so Joseph and Mary found no traditional lodging. We can identify with that element of the Christmas story. This season often feels overwhelming, busy, and too full. But in the midst of the mayhem on that starry night…
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It’s Almost The (Maybe) Wonderful Time of the Year
Soon the roasted turkey will be packed away for future meals. The pie dishes will be rinsed clean. It often seems that all those thanks are then simply swept away as we hurry to get ready for Jesus coming. We are a people of “next things.” In our present time, the end of Thanksgiving seems…
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Head-Turning Worship
Makeup reapplied after a day of missions service, she beamed as she stood at the front of the worship team, belting out the words in the mic. One arm was raised, the other thumped over her heart. Even her ponytail nodded along in agreement to the rhythm. I watched from the camp’s sound booth, mesmerized….
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Her Utmost for His Highest
The greenish book seemed odd to me as I quickly paged through. “Thank you,” I murmured with confusion as the older woman patted my hand and said she’d be praying. I was off to the mission field, and she’d given me a copy of Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. She didn’t know it,…
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For the Love of Stories
Honest to goodness, I don’t remember where I used to find or read them. All I recall is the anticipation and delight every time a new copy made its way into my hands. Reader’s Digest was my favorite magazine as a child. At one point, I memorized which sections featured jokes or humorous stories- I’d…
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10 Ways Smartphones are the Adult Version of Invisible Friends
Remember when you were five and had an invisible friend? It’s pretty normal, with an estimated 37% of kids hanging out with friends that don’t exist. For a lot of kids, invisible friends are used for companionship and connection. If you think about it, a lot of adults use their smartphones in a similar way….
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Shutting Down Over-Productivity
Lord knows I’m a planner and producer. Productivity could be my middle name. I’ve got files and folders physical and digital stretching my future hopes into step-by-step endeavors. If you’ve got a topic to talk about, I’ve got a project you’re contributing to. The most visited destination in my mind is my idea mill. It’s…
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It’s Not Me, It’s You (And That’s Okay)
“It’s not me, it’s you….” The bad breakup line always seemed so unfair. It’s been my habit to live life assuming there’s always something I can do…some level of responsibility I have to take if I’m truly loving. But over the years, I’ve met the people-pleasers dilemma: some people aren’t pleasable. Living this truth has…
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Grappling with Sanctification
I was sitting on a sofa best described as peach in color, though I’ve never seen a peach that hue. The almost bare walls looked about as lonely as I felt. My computer screen offered the only light of that dreary day. Fingers poised, I searched for words but found more than I could organize…
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What The Millennial Generation Needs to Know About the Goal of Faith
For many millennials entering adulthood, the truth that we all compete for a prize is a shock. Painted high on the concrete wall of my elementary school gym, next to a friendly cartoon character, were the words, If you had fun, you won. It was as simple as that. We received participation trophies whether we failed…