The past eight months or so have been filled with challenges on every level of our human experience: mental, emotional, physical. Our country remains challenged by a virus that likes colder weather, ongoing relationship challenges caused by isolation and/or too much togetherness, the election results, and the transition as we move toward a new administration. It's a lot. This is a good time to gently look at how you are doing. Are you having more good days than bad or the opposite, more bad/down days than good?

It might be wise to consider how much time you are spending wishing things were different. Where does your trust, your faith, lie? Are you going through the motions of living or are you abiding in the Truth of Your Soul? Have you ever given much thought to abiding as opposed to merely living? There is a difference. If your heart is beating and you are relatively healthy and aware, you are alive. If you are, for the most part, living without trying to figure...

I have been involved in countless conversations over the past forty years about how to be a better person, how to meet some standard that has been set, how to please God, gain God's favor, etc. I began looking into myself at a relatively young age. The Judeo-Christian standard set for me left me sad, frustrated and extremely good at judging myself. All of this self-flagellation brought little lasting change and an ongoing battle with low level depression. Ultimately, I became a bible teacher and was fortunate to receive solid training in how to study and interpret the bible. Seeing the importance of things like historical context and word studies began to set me free.

For example, an Old Testament verse commands that a man must not wear women's clothing. When that was spoken and recorded, everyone wore the equivalent of a dress! This historical data makes it necessary to look further and interpret context as well as multiple references. There are no other such admonitions,...