Leah and Rachel Martha Hill Jamison, Melinda’s little sister (spoiled and dependent) Genesis 29 (selected).  (When Jacob first saw Laban’s daughter), he kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had delicate eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel. (Typical Genesis drama ensues---Laban fools Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel; Jacob freaks out; Laban negotiates with Jacob to marry both.) Reflection: Readers of Genesis tend to feel sorry for [...]

Justine Vandenbrink Luke 10:38-42 NLT 38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear [...]

Amy Kelley, Dir. of Outreach (Gethsemane) Judges 4:4-16 4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was a leader of Israel at that time. 5 She would sit under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraim highlands, and the Israelites would come to her to settle disputes. 6 She sent word to Barak, Abinoam’s son, from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, “Hasn’t the Lord, Israel’s God, issued you a command? ‘Go and assemble at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand men from the people of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. 7 I’ll lure Sisera, [...]

Rhonda Ward Luke 24:13-18, 28-32 (ESV) 13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered [...]

Peggy Roe Genesis 22:1-14 (NRSV) After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering and set out and went to the [...]

Charity Autry Genesis 16:1-6 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children.  But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children.  Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.   When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her [...]

Philemon 1: 8-18 8 For this reason, though I am more than bold enough in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. 10 I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. 11 Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me. 12 I am sending him, that is, my own [...]

Jenna Lindley Luke 2:34-35 (KJV) 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;  35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Reflection:  In June, my father turned 70. So, as every daughter does, I made a documentary about his life in the style of Ken Burns. I went through family photo albums and memory boxes, compiling old pictures and letters. [...]

Betty Owens Geary Philemon 21, NRSV Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. Reflection: Every student should be so lucky to have a teacher like Mr. Martin. He was devoted to his students, and he made learning fun. We all wanted to do our best for Mr. Martin. Nothing was worse than disappointing him. Once when I was in high school I was talking to my dad about my teachers. I forget what I said, but Dad responded, “Mr. Martin takes the most irresponsible student and gives [...]

Bob DeLong Daniel 3:13-28 (NIV)    13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego … Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true…that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now …, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”    16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need [...]