Hope Collier's Blog

I was reading the book of Jonah this morning. And it struck me just how relevant his story is.

To recap, God tells Jonah to “get up and go to the great city of Ninevah”, and Jonah really doesn’t want to go. Ninevah is a non-covenant enemy of Israel. Jonah can’t stand them. Instead of listening, Jonah runs in the opposite direction. In the process of his disobedience, he brings much trouble on himself and those around him.

Incidentally, “down” is a running theme in the book of Jonah. Down to the ...

Samson slayed the lion. Daniel slept with them.

God doesn’t always confront the same problem in the same manner. If we aren’t careful, it’s easy to miss how He’s moving, because we expect it to look a certain way. With Samson, God enabled him to eliminate the threat through power (Judges 14). With Daniel, God kept him safe while He worked on Daniel’s behalf (Daniel 6). God doesn’t always pull you out of your dire situation; sometimes He fortifies and protects you as He goes ahead to fight in you...

 

God Leads Us in Steps … Not Leaps.

Did you know that nowhere in the Bible does God call for a leap of faith? There’s not one instance where God commanded someone to do something physically or spiritually extraordinary for their particular situation. 

He always led His children in manageable steps just as He does now (Psalm 37:23). God will never call you to do something that will put you in peril (Jer 29:11). He doesn’t call us to do things that are completely foreign to us or out of our wheel...

We all want or need something. The thing about God is, He designed man to be in partnership with Him. He plays His role and we have a complementary part. When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam’s role was to plant seed. He didn’t have to make anything grow; there were no weeds or thorns to pull. All that was required was planting.The same rules apply to us today, though because we live in a fallen world, the tending has become a little more challenging. The law of sowing still applie...

We live in such a unique and complex era. Granted, every decade, century, or millennia comes with its individual nuances, and as time and technology progress, it’s nearly impossible to foresee what will happen next.One thing that can be predicted, almost without question, is human behavior. Across the span of human existence, the evolution of our reactions has been noticeably slower.

This is why the Biblical lessons are as relevant for us today as when they were the day they were written. It’...

The roaring 20’s. A time of flappers, gangsters, and speakeasies. Words were much more evocative then, weren’t they? They sparked just the right image and emotion. They captured just the right meaning. Why else would we still be stuck on them today?

Welcome back to Part II of the 1920’s Lingo! If you missed part I, you can find it here. Is there anything more fun than 1920s lingo and slang? Granted, much of it revolved around women and drinking, but we have evolved since then. Even still,...

“Do you believe (insert supposed transgression of choice here) is a sin?”

How many times have you been asked this in your Christian life? How many more times are those in the spotlight asked this question?

Most of us have prepared a response to whatever subject is broached. In fact, as Christians, God calls us to have answers for a multitude of questions.

For defending your faith, “…but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a...

I have sort of a bad habit when it comes to relationships and sizing up humans. The foundation of my opinions is oftentimes based on (future) potential. I mentally acknowledge an individual’s gifts and abilities. I admire their strengths and imagine all the good they’re capable of. Seeing people for their potential is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be encouraging in helping them grow into a better version of themselves by getting them out of their own way and curbing self-doubt.

Contrariwise, some h...

potential.

I was reading the story of Elijah this morning, and I couldn’t help but laugh. We see similar themes all throughout the Bible, detailing God’s promises and blessings as well as His warnings and eventual consequences. Yet people tap into their inner child, eyes wide and mouths agape, and act like they’re surprised when the faultless God follows through.   But today, I was particularly struck by the example of Elijah dealing with the prophets of Baal. If you’ve been a Christian any length of time,...

World-building is one of the most important factors of a good story. You’re dropping your reader into a place they’ve never been before, so it’s imperative they have a firm grasp of the world around them. Unique details make this place its own universe filled with distinct (and oftentimes inhuman) characters, a government with unusual politics, and unfamiliar social constructs. The author has to take into consideration factors like the weather, varying laws, architecture, landscape, history,...