Although it happened over ten years ago, I remember clearly the first time my son, Sean, saw a rainbow. He was four years old at the time. We were driving south from Iowa to Missouri when we passed through a rainstorm into the sunshine. Looking out of the car windows, my husband and I spotted that arc of color that science tells us is the full spectrum of the sun’s white light refracted through the raindrops. We eagerly pointed the rainbow out to our son, who began to search the sky. After about a minute of Sean saying, “I can’t see it,” and my husband and I replying, “Just look out the window,” it occurred to us that he didn’t know what he was looking for.

For the past three years, I have been actively involved in the interfaith assistance agency in my community as a board member. We provide emergency rent, utility, and food assistance to persons in our county. Twenty-plus congregations, plus a couple of community organizations, each contribute funds and support to the organization. In addition to this work, I sometimes work the overnight shift at the homeless shelter in my town.

I tell you this not to toot my own horn, but to give you a bit of the context I bring to reading the book in today's review, Loving Our Neighbor: A Thoughtful Approach to Helping People in Poverty, by Beth Lindsay Templeton (2008, iUniverse). This is the resource I really wish I had had before I began to be involved in poverty assistance, because it is comprehensive, relevant, and grounded in personal (not theoretical) experience. Along with the companion study video which I previously reviewed, it should be part of every church's set of resources.

An approach that I have found useful when faced with a challenging subject is to read a children’s book – regardless of whether I am talking to children, youth or adults. I once heard it said and I believe it to be true that a good children’s book is written for all ages. A book can be a wonderful way to open a conversation, particularly when people might initially be at a loss for words.

If you are unfamiliar with sexting—sending, receiving, and forwarding cell phone photos of a sexual nature—then I strongly recommend reading this article in Newsweek and/or another version of the same article in Slate. (Even if you are familiar with the concept, the article raises some questions worth considering if you have or work with teens.)

I believe youth leaders should have open conversations with teens about this practice. Many youth may not feel comfortable discussing the issue with a parent, but a youth group can provide a safe setting for opening a conversation about this growing trend. Here are seven key things to discuss—not in a preachy, "thou shalt not" way that will turn off youth, but in the midst of an open dialogue about healthy behavior and the practice of spirituality.

When it comes to your adult education ministries, sometimes it's just as important to help your congregation understand why you offer educational opportunities for adults as it is to advertise what your congregation is doing.

Here's a quick little blurb I have used in a church newsletter for this purpose. (Unfortunately, I no longer have a note that indicates whether I originally wrote it or whether I borrowed/adapted it from somewhere. If you recognize it, please let me know so I may give credit where it's due!) This pretty succinctly states what I believe to be true about adult educational ministries. I encourage you to write your own statement which fits your own congregation and your vision for Christian education.

The smell of supper emanating from my crock pot.
The sound of the furnace kicking on.
The sun on my face as I look out the window.
Chocolate melting on my tongue.
Watching a squirrel gather straw from my yard to build a nest.

I have been engrossed in three books over the past two weeks, and two of the three are definitely worth a look. As soon as possible I hope to add longer reviews of each one to the website, but for now, I hope these quick looks will—well, tickle your fancy and interest.

From time to time, I work an overnight shift at the homeless shelter in my community. I've noticed something striking: it's a "Drop and Go" site for many people who support it. By that, I mean that it is quite common for individuals to drop off donations and immediately leave. (Some even simply leave the items on the porch and do not even pause long enough to ring the doorbell.)

Far fewer are the folks who have deeper, more meaningful interactions with the residents there, or with the problem of homelessness in general. I am glad so many people in the community give generously to the shelter and to other service-oriented organizations, but I firmly believe that discipleship calls for ever deeper involvement with the poor.

"A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancor, transform indecision, and renew the spirit." —Maya Angelou , in Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

Facebook. Email. Documents. Amazon. iTunes. YouTube. Games. These are but a few of the likely ways that digital media consume your time—and make you feel like you have information overload. Those in Christian education and youth ministry often spend a lot of time in front of a computer—more time, some will admit—than they spend with friends, colleagues, family, youth, and others in person. And no wonder! Emails and IMs can reach you just about anywhere, at any time, beckoning you to respond NOW. If this is true of you, perhaps it's time to institute a data fast in your life or among your church staff.

Until I visited Israel in person, I never truly understood the importance of geography to a better understanding of the biblical narrative. Now, a few years after my trip, what sticks in my mind more than anything is the geography.

It is unfortunate that maps are usually relegated to the back of the Bible, if they are present at all. The best Bibles have at least ten pages of maps and diagrams; my favorite Bible has 19! Why? The history of the land of Israel is a history of tribes and kingdoms and empires—united and divided monarchies, Assyrian and Babylonian, Greek and Roman, and of course one can't forget about all of those "ites" (Ammonites, Moabites, Canaanites...) and many others. To understand a story in its historical context, you simply have to have a basic understanding of where and when a story took place. Here are three simple examples...