Stephanie McNeilus

We know the drill. Children and adults alike choose their favorite costume and go door to door collecting gobs of candy. For one night they indulge in the creepy ambiance of haunted houses and ghost stories. Too many people, it seems like harmless fun. But what is really being celebrated here? Should we, as Christians, really be participating in this holiday? Halloween is an ancient...

The Bible is largely silent on the events of Jesus’ childhood. But we can imagine that His sinless life made him a target for unkind children. Through the trials of His childhood, He learned to have faith...

Unnoticed and unheeded came the angels, bright and fair, To see who might be waiting for their Messiah dear. They saw a people, unready, so unbothered by...

Have you ever lost your way? Have you ever lost your hold on God or felt that God had most certainly let go of you? Have you ever prayed, and it seemed like your prayers were hitting a wall and bouncing right back to you? Have you ever been so desperate to feel the reassurance of...

There is a powerful parallel (between the Israelites in Egypt and God's people) for us today. We know nothing of heaven. All we know is life on earth is stained with darkness, temptations of every kind, cruelty, betrayal, disappointment, and death. We often fail to recognize our condition as...

I couldn’t resist downloading the app and watching an episode. I was hooked. The writers and actors lay bare the poverty and desperation in the people during the time of Jesus. As you watch, you feel yourself connecting to your own spiritual poverty and desperation — your own need of Jesus. But there has been something that has frightened me about how much I have loved watching these episodes. I have wrestled with...

It was March of 2020, and I had just completed a 15-mile run in preparation for my first marathon set to happen in May. Tired and sore, I limped inside for some rest. March of 2020 was a pivotal month! Not only because I completed the longest run I had ever attempted, but also because of the international lockdown that brought the whole world to a stop.

When the Israelite's finally came to Canaan to claim it for their own, they began to divide up the land amongst themselves. Caleb’s request for land is most inspiring. At 85 years old, Caleb asked for the land where...

Most of us will say that we want the will of God to be carried out in our lives. We probably mean it too. We commit to Him in the morning, asking Him to lead us. But when the rubber meets the road, how often do we subvert God’s will and insert...

The next morning, I got up and, in front of my children, I poured my idol down the drain. I sleep so much better every night since quitting! God never gave up on me all those years! He was so patient and forgiving. I have never missed my habit. I have never wished for...

I closed my eyes and said a few words to Jesus. Then, in the middle of my prayer, I turned to look out the window again. To my amazement, suspended in between me and the coming storm, I saw a brilliant...