Christ is always the ultimate for God's children, but we sometimes struggle with things that come before.
This article is part of Stephen Paulson’s series on the Psalms.
This is an excerpt from Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation by Amy Mantravadi (1517 Publishing, 2024), pgs. 12-14.

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When the old Adam hears a command, he hears a prescription. Like a coach drawing up a play so you can win the game.
Since Jesus has done everything we need for salvation, we can focus our works and efforts on serving our neighbor.
Silence is an important and valuable tool for change and empathy, self-reflection, and learning.
Christ isn’t preached in his glory but in his ignominy, his utter shame, degradation, and desolation.
There is a time for justice. And there is a time for love. But love must always have the final word. Jesus must have the final word, because Jesus is God and God is Love.
We are free to be in the world, but not of the world. We are freed to stop treating the pursuit of pleasure as an escape from pain, suffering, and death.
We all live with the knowledge of good and evil, but lack the power or ability to affect either one. We can judge good and evil but we cannot control them.
"Move or die" is one of those “laws” we don’t like, but we have to admit, as harsh as it sounds, it is good for us. It helps us. Just don’t apply it to my faith.
Sin will constantly break our hearts, but God's love in Christ Jesus will give us new hearts daily, in the abundance of his forgiving grace. This is love in its purest form, and he has overcome the world.
In the vortex of uncertainty and upheaval, what’s the best thing we can do? Seize the ordinary.
It would do us well to expand what we mean when we say catechesis and consequently broaden the reach of theological education into daily life.
As I sat there in the dark, empty church with my hands buried in the guts of a copy machine I was powerless to fix, I couldn't help feeling sorry for myself.