It was a quiet evening, the kind where the air carries the faint fragrance of midsummer lilies. Together, my husband and I walked along a path along the outskirts of a small park.A man walking a large dog appeared, coming toward us on the path. The moment he laid eyes on us, he and the dog quickly d
I attended my first funeral when I was 6 years old.A child at my elementary school in Iowa died in a horrible accident involving farm equipment. His name was Brian.As I peered into the casket at his funeral, I saw what looked like a swollen, waxy version of Brian’s face. I whispered to my mom, “Why
Chirp, chirp. Peep, peep. Tweet, tweet. These are bird calls, right? Not exactly! Those words might sound like some bird calls, but birds are far more creative with the sounds they make than we might think.Some birds make sounds like tsk-tsk, chut-chut, and wooooo-eeee! Birds’ voices are as speciali
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 familiar
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.I've always b
Through his Word, God shows that he has a plan for each person’s life. For some, their life includes extra opportunities to showcase God’s care for his people.In 1985, I was a typical 3-year-old boy living in Iowa. I played with toy trucks and tractors and didn’t like the word “nap.”On Feb. 20, my p
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.To celebrate
Dear readers, this is, sadly, my last editorial. I have resigned in protest of Synod’s decision to change The Banner’s mandate.Although in protest, I am not bitter or angry. I am disappointed, of course, but I have gone through a discerning process. Through prayer, separate conversations first with
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Ex. 20:8).Of all the Ten Commandments, this might be the one that contemporary Christians most consistently ignore. We’ve found creative ways to honor God, avoid murder, and respect our parents. But Sabbath? That command seems almost quaint in our perpe
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.We live in a
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.I sat with my
For decades, The Banner has been the official magazine of the Christian Reformed Church. Since 2015, this magazine has worked under a mandate and publishing guidelines that called for editorial staff to show “the diverse positions held within the church” and permitted staff to “lead and encourage a
One of my delights each year is to unpack and display my large collection of Nativity sets. I have gathered them from around the world, and part of the fun is to see how this story is interpreted through each culture.A painted screen from Haiti pictures one of the Magi bringing an enormous bunch of
In the middle of a sunny summer morning, as I biked in the bike lane on a busy city street, I saw a car come to a complete stop in the exit from the library parking lot that I was just about to pass. Assuming the driver had seen me, I rode in front of the exit just as she drove onto the road, right
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 Banner h
Quack, quack, quack. My friend emerged from the bushes, binoculars in hand. “Do you hear it? The quacking?” he asked. He was determined to find the ducks that were quacking in the middle of the forest.I did hear it—tiny voices in the distance making a chaotic “kvaak kvaak,” as if a thousand mallards
Power differs from authority. According to the late Christian sociologist Tony Campolo, power is the coercive ability to control what happens, even against the will of others. Authority, however, is “established when someone is able to elicit compliance because others want to obey” (Choose Love Not
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.After a chall
As I write this article, I’m wearing the handmade friendship bracelet Maddi gave me. She made it herself. She even tied it on my wrist for me. It’s been with me ever since.In my sermon a few Sundays ago, I made a reference to the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets that some Christians wore back i
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 Banner h