The Christmas tree is tall and wide, and its sharp smell fills the room. It seems to own the space around it, and the rest of us hover in its shadow, coming and going like ghosts or puffs of wind. Somehow, the tree feels more real than the thing we call “reality.” My child self…

If poetry is ever going to matter again to Christians, we’ll need interesting, winsome, accessible teachers and books to explain the value of verse and show us how it works. One doesn’t naturally “develop a taste” for poetry. We must be taught. Abram Van Engen’s Word Made Fresh can refresh our palate and nourish our…

When the angel Gabriel visits Mary to announce Christ’s birth, his final words are “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37 KJV). This proclamation resonates with Genesis 18:14, where the Lord asks Abraham, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” These two verses also resonate with a time later in Luke, when…

As the new academic year began, it seemed the whole nation turned its attention to artificial intelligence. News feeds such as “White House Announces New AI Education Initiative,” Esther Wickham. “White House Announces New AI Education Initiative,” AOL The Center Square, September 8, 2025, https://www.aol.com/articles/white-house-announces-ai-education-000000126.html. “Confusing School AI Policies Leave Families Guessing,”Megan Morrone. “Confusing School…

Good days rarely feel remarkable when we are in the midst of them. Their goodness is often something we recognize only in hindsight, when loss sharpens memory and meaning. I learned this lesson on what became my sister’s last good day. In the final week of her life, six days before she passed away, my…

Recently, Tamar Shirinian, a University of Tennessee assistant professor of cultural anthropology, filed a lawsuit against the UT administration, contesting termination over social media posts about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.Keenan Thomas, “Tamar Shirinian Sues University of Tennessee for Suspending Her after Charlie Kirk Comment,” Knoxville News Sentinel, October 30, 2025, https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/education/2025/10/30/professor-sues-university-of-tennessee-over-charlie-kirk-comment-suspension/86950647007/ She is not…