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The scene is a jubilant one. The entire Israelite community had been miraculously delivered from the heavy bondage of slavery. Their jaws dropped as they watched God part the Red Sea so they could walk triumphantly into freedom. The book of Exodus gives us the account. Miriam, Moses’ big sister, led the procession with clashing tambourines in what must have been the biggest “Praise Celebration” of all time. They had witnessed first hand how their mighty Jehovah had brought them out from under the cruel demands of Pharaoh and his chariot officers. You would have surely thought that they ...

“Let’s go home,” Earle said. The ewe placed her muzzle in Earle’s hand, and they inched forward. Soon, she toppled. Earle fell to his knees, “Father God, what’s my next step?” He fought panic and listened for the still small voice of the Lord within his conscience. An idea came to him.  Earle loosened Cooper’s girth, removed the saddle-pad, and placed the ewe on this makeshift sleigh. He fashioned an improvised harness from Cooper’s bridle and some rope. He attached this ensemble to the girth and reattached it. Earle clucked to Cooper. It was then he realized he was lost. ...

“But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. 'Tell her to go away,' they said. 'She is bothering us with all her begging.'" Matthew 15:23 (NLT) Have you ever felt like the Canaanite woman who cried out to Jesus on behalf of her daughter? “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is possessed by a demon who torments her severely!” Matthew 15:22 (NLT) She cried. She pleaded. She was frightened and desperate to find help for her daughter. Making it worse, those around her tried to silence and dismiss her. 

I remember once taking salsa lessons with a group of friends. It was the first time I had danced where the women and men had clear roles: the men were to lead and the women would follow. Growing up as a woman in modern-day America, it was almost ingrained in my psyche that women should never allow themselves to be subject to man’s dominance. But as I came to enjoy the complimentary dance roles of leader and follower, and considered how God desires to lead us, I realized that many of us (both men and women) may have mistakenly come to equate leading with dominance, to our own detriment.

A very troubled Elijah went into a cave, and the word of the Lord came to him saying, “What are you doing here Elijah?” Elijah then began to explain to the Lord how difficult his life was. This is how the Lord responded, He sent a great and strong wind which tore into the mountain, breaking the rocks into pieces. Then He sent an earthquake. Then He sent a fire. Nowhere in the text do we see or hear that any of it frightened Elijah. Elijah never expresses any surprise or excitement about what God just did. He does not become unsettled. He is not moved. He does not run away or respond to t...