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The Beast of Ten – Lessons on light overcoming darkness from an unusual Beauty and the Beast retelling
In the past two weeks, I have been writing on the theme of light vs. darkness. Today, I want to share about a book I read this year that perfectly exemplifies this theme in a gripping tale of redemption. How far gone is too far gone? And how much into the dark is too much? This is one of the major dramatic questions in Beth Brower’s The Beast of Ten. In a short note I wrote on Substack back in July, I described this book as not your average Beauty and the Beast retelling. It’s a story about light fighting the deepest darkness, redemption, and standing by someone’s side while…
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How Do You Remember the Light?
What if your life has been surrounded by darkness for so long that you begin to wonder if light ever truly existed? In a previous post, I shared how we are all born with an innate desire for the Light (Jesus), because we were created by Him and for Him. And yet, that doesn’t negate the fact that many of us have seen true darkness in this world, and many more have experienced it firsthand in ways that have deeply affected their lives and outlook on the world. For many, they have been so surrounded by shadows that darkness feels more real than light and hope ever will. For others,…
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Why We Are Obsessed with the Theme of Light vs. Darkness
The first words God ever spoke into this universe were “let there be light.” Those words held enough power to transform a chaotic and shapeless mess into a world filled with beauty, hope, and life. Is it any wonder then that one of the biggest themes in art is light vs. darkness? I believe that beneath humanity’s attempt to make itself independent of its Creator, it can never truly outrun the desire for light; the true Light that defeats the grip of darkness, turns chaos into peace, and breathes life into staleness. As I planned my October content, I kept pondering this stark contrast, particularly because October is the month…
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Did You Know God Is Crazy About You?
While I was in training to lead small groups a couple of weeks ago, our teacher asked us: “How do you feel when someone is intentional with you?” Many from the class shared how they felt seen, valued, known, loved, cared for, and like they truly mattered. As the week went by, this concept stuck with me. It seems like intentionality is one of the keys to connection and developing deeper, more meaningful relationships. The word intentional means done on purpose or with a specific goal in mind. It comes from the Latin word intentio, which means a stretching toward or turning one’s attention to. The word’s meaning originally described…
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Book Recommendation: The Q by Beth Brower
“Many of the trees in Rhysdon’s parks were beginning to leaf out into a lacy cloud of green so cheery that even Quincy—who was accustomed to thinking about walking only as a means to an end or as a means to calm herself down before someone else came to an end—looked about and came close to granting the walk some kind of virtue in itself.” – Beth Brower, The Q It’s been a while since I have read a book with such beautiful language and poignant characters, but Beth Brower (author of the Emma M. Lion series) has done it again in The Q. This book is set in the…
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Wanted: Chivalrous Heroes Who Know Right From Wrong
It is no secret that many authors in the general market have taken a shine to writing heroes who are morally gray and make questionable life choices. It seems that for a book to sell, a man has to be dark, brooding, have murky morals, and generally resemble a growling beast more than a gentleman. And let’s face it, this trend has been around for decades, as seen in works by Byron and the Brontes. This begs the question: what happened to chivalrous heroes who would stand up for what was right? I recently read a great Substack article by Elena B. Sato titled “Let the boys be good.” She…
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A Tale of Two Plows
Happy September! We’ve arrived at the time of year that brings the sound of kids going back to school, the smell of pumpkin spice lattes, and a chill riding the wind. This month wraps itself in burnt orange and rain, reminiscent of endings and new beginnings. In a way, it feels like turning the page in a book to a new chapter. As seasons change, literally and figuratively, I’ve found myself thinking more and more about faithfulness. There is a certain verse in the Bible that haunts me: “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom…
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I Grew Up In Ministry and Here’s How I Turned Out
On hard lessons and big blessings that came from growing up as a pastor’s kid I’ve recently seen many young people entering Bible school with a burning desire to serve God and love the Church. And I’ve asked myself: what madness has possessed them? To which I can only answer: the same madness that has possessed me. It took a hold of me early in life, since I practically lived in church where my dad pastored. It grew when I discovered a love for teaching the Bible. It practically took over when God confirmed my calling at the age of fourteen during a leaders’ conference. And so I did what…
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What If We Included the Holy Spirit More in Our Stories?
Growing up, there was a popular series I became obsessed with: Left Behind. You’ve probably heard of it. Google describes it as a collection of apocalyptic novels centered on Christian eschatology, particularly premillennialist dispensationalism. (That’s a bunch of jargon for end times fiction with the belief that Jesus will come back to earth to reign for a literal thousand years after a literal seven year tribulation occurring after the rapture.) I absolutely loved this series. So much so that I read all 13 books of the main series, and then a few years later proceeded to read all 40 young adult novellas. Then I got older. My relationship with God…
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What If God Isn’t Safe?
In The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, there is a part where the Pevensies meet the Beavers. They are speaking about Aslan, and this conversation has always stood out to me: “Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion,” said Susan. “That you will, dearie, and no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.” “Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy. “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King,…
