“The Bible presents God as the one who pushed back the darkness with this first light.”—Today devotional, Dec. 2, 2024Although much of the world is shadowed by fear, division, and uncertainty, the light of Jesus Christ offers a beacon of hope. During Advent, the Today devotionals offered by ReFrame
Andrew Olshine has Down syndrome, but Down syndrome does not necessarily have him.He’s a human being who loves to read, write, and research anything about animals. In his book, Olshine talks about how he manages life with Down syndrome and some of the challenges he has faced. He also talks about how
Mack Brock emphasizes God’s past and present faithfulness with his 11-track record This Is Holy. “This is a worship record giving praise to God and talking about who God is, what he’s done in my life and what I want my life to look like,” Brock said in a release. “Sometimes I lose focus on the fact
When Jesus was born, angels sang: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). It’s unfortunate that the King James version—“good will toward men”—has become the standard wording, especially at Christmastime. It can create the impression that
To send letters to the editor, please see our guidelines at thebanner.org/letters.Slippery SlopeAfter receiving the July-August 2024 Banner, I read its content until I got to page 16 (“Resounding Words”). Then I quit, not wanting to read once more how Synod 2024 threw away Reformed principles. Then
I am an elderly Christian who occasionally finds himself in discussions about burial plans. When I share that my remains will be donated for medical research, some people react negatively. Please comment.Thank you for donating your remains. Donated bodies are essential to medical training and resear
On a Tuesday evening in Bellingham, Wash., the Bucket Boys—a band of friends from First Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, Wash., with additional community volunteers—distribute peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, socks, and bottles of water from five-gallon pails slung over their arms. It’s a wee
Birchbark Books in Minneapolis is one of the most beautiful and well-curated bookstores I have ever visited. Owned by author and Native American Louise Erdrich, the bookstore is distinctively Indigenous in everything from adult and children’s books to gift items.Looking ahead to writing this round-u
With a plot that moved at warp speed, diverse and fun characters, and just enough social commentary to make us think, Syfy’s The Ark was one of the biggest surprises of last year. Once The Ark was renewed for another season (now on Peacock), the only question was, could the showrunners maintain a st
This is a hauntingly painful, yet occasionally hopeful memoir and study of the intergenerational trauma inflicted on Indigenous children by the American Indian Boarding Schools at the behest of the United States government. Author Dan SaSuWeh Jones relates the stories of four generations of his fami
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.The air rushe
In Proverbs 4:13, Solomon pleads with his son to hold instruction firmly in his grip and not let go because “it is your life.” World Renew understands that learning can transform one’s life. In communities where World Renew works, limited or no access to opportunities to learn simple life skills or
A young Cherokee girl is filled with joy because today is moving day! She and Etsi—the word for mother in their native language—are leaving the city and moving to their ancestral land. In the city “cars rush, / crowds collect.” Etsi says “this is not our rhythm. / More houses go up. / Fewer animal r
I have lived with a literal pain in my neck since I was a teenager.Throughout high school, my pediatrician told me to fix my posture, which would eventually make the problem go away. On the more painful days, he advised me to put an ice pack on it and take some Tylenol.But it did not go away. The pa
In the 2024 denomination survey, fewer than 30% of respondents (28.1%) selected “justice-seeking” as one of the top phrases to complete the sentence, “To me, the term ‘Christian Reformed’ means....” In 2023, 32.2% of respondents selected this term, and 32.9% did in 2022. The rest of the top 12 were
Editor’s note: This article is the third in a three-part series by Todd Pheifer, the author of Let’s Talk!: A Guide to Awkward Conversations and Unifying Dialogue in the Church. Pick up the book on Amazon and follow along on The Banner’s Facebook page for discussion about the book and its important
Should I do more school?We often see the purpose of school as preparing us for a particular job. Yet good education should also prepare you with other life skills, like engaging honestly and graciously with people with whom we disagree, participating in our church and neighborhood, or even being mor
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.The Christian
Amanda DeWeerd of Stratford (Ont.) Christian Reformed Church organized a regional training for GEMS—Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior, the ministry for girls offered in many CRCs—on Oct. 19. Leaders from 13 GEMS groups attended the event, along with GEMS executive director Wendy Hammond.DeWeerd, w
Inspired by true events, this compelling children’s picture book addresses the prevalence of homelessness in the United States and encourages a Christ-like response to people who are unhoused. Father and daughter, Terence Lester and Zion Lester, team up to share Zion’s experiences when she was 7 yea