Coach Herb Brooks is running the U.S. Olympic hockey team into the ground. These are elite athletes, but they’re exhausted — legs burning, tempers rising, frustration written all over their faces. After each sprint, Brooks stops a player and asks: “Who are you?”
Where might God be asking you to obey—even if it feels like losing?
Just as in our own lives, the future arrives long before we are prepared for it. It often sneaks up on us, catching us unaware.
Four elements of The Comfort Zone: No surprises, No awkwardness, No authority, and No responsibility - so why would we want to leave?
The Ghost of Christmas Past appeared right on cue, but the next visitor is nowhere to be seen. Time ticks by. Still nothing... only a faint, ruddy glow flickering from the next room, teasing the edges of Scrooge’s anticipation. Curious and just a bit impatient, Scrooge slides into his slippers and softly shuffles toward the door. What (or who) awaits him this time? The adventure is far from over—let’s step through that door together.
Every choice I make is an opportunity to walk out this exchanged life. Whether it's responding kindly when I'm wronged, giving generously, or simply choosing gratitude over complaint, it all comes back to this new reality: I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
Dickens describes the ghost in detail including the jet of light that sprung from the crown of its head that was the only light in the room. This light could not be hidden, and when Scrooge tries to smother it, Dickens tells us he does so out of distress—showing how much he wants to shut out the truth.
As Scrooge approaches his door, he sees Marley's face in the doorknocker. Although he tries to dismiss the vision, curiosity compels him to check the other side of the door, half-expecting to find the back of Marley's head there.
As we continue our blog series exploring Dickens' A Christmas Carol, it's helpful to remember what the author himself hoped to achieve. His little book—the very story we're revisiting together—was meant to be a “ghost” that enters homes warmly, inspiring joy, kindness, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (ACC) has a way of sticking with me throughout the year. I often find myself quoting lines from the text in everyday conversations, only to be met with confused looks or have my references completely ignored. This year, I had the unique privilege of teaching ACC to the regulars in my Ladies’ Bible Study sessions. It was a joy to delve into the language, to explore its themes, and to share the profound ways God’s Word weaves through the story. I’d love for you to join me on this journey as I share my thoughts…