Category: Lifestyle
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Do We Really Love the Poor, or Just the Idea of Helping Them?
I love a good memoir. I’ve always been an avid reader, and my bookshelf is diverse– almost confusingly so. But hand me someone’s carefully crafted life story laid out in pages, and I’ll have it finished within days, barely stopping to come up for air. One of the best I’ve read in a long time…
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The Church Needs Introverts, Too.
Fellow introverts: do you ever feel like the church worships extroverts? I’ve been an introvert for as long as I can remember. It’s not that I don’t like people or enjoy their company; I do. But I am energized by my alone time. I have a finite social battery, and once it runs out, it’s…
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Where Do I Find My Worth?
I have a dear friend with whom I met for coffee at Purdy’s on a weekly basis before all the shutdowns. It’s hard at this phase of life to make time to get together, but our talks about life, faith, and becoming adults leave me encouraged and refreshed. One of the things I appreciate most…
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Presence Over Presents
Now that we’re past Thanksgiving, the Christmas season is in full swing. While Christmas festivities can make our lives merry and bright from December 1 to 25, they can also bring about undue stress. One of the biggest stressors I’ve encountered is also one of the season’s oldest and fondest traditions: giving gifts. Now, I…
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When Thankfulness is Hard
Thanksgiving is upon us. Tomorrow, we will gather around a table with family and friends. We will help our mothers or grandmothers in the kitchen with the turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes. We’ll wear our nice clothes just to sit in the living room. We’ll stuff our faces, and thank God for all He has…
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When Family is Hard
Last Christmas didn’t feel like Christmas to me. Growing up, many of my family’s holiday traditions centered around my grandparents. We’d spend the day at my paternal grandparents’ (whom I call Nana and Papaw) house on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day was spent at my maternal grandparents’ (whom I call Mamaw and Papaw). The festivities…
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Beauty is Fleeting
Recently, I found myself obsessing over my flaws in a picture. We live in a beauty-obsessed world. But the Word warns us against making our appearance too important. Today, I would like to discuss why.
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Hot Pursuit
I saw a picture of myself in a drunk stranger this week. Allow me to explain. Over spring break, I went on mission with Beach Reach to Panama City Beach with the EKU BCM, and other college ministries from around the country. Monday through Thursday, we served free pancakes to broke spring breakers from 11…
Madison J. Caplinger 