Author: Michelle Van Loon
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Middle-Aged Women Face A Crisis Of Discipleship
Published at CTWomen today: Last week in our #AmplifyWomen series, Helen Lee addressed the need for diversity in discipleship. This week, Michelle Van Loon turns our attention to the gap in discipleship for middle-aged and retired women. Four years ago, I asked readers of my blog over age 40 to respond to my informal…
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No Such Thing As A Free Lunch
Precious few of us will ever receive an invitation to travel for free to the Holy Land or to tour with a group of high-level Christian influencers to witness first-hand the stories behind the headlines in places like Rwanda, Guatemala, or Haiti. But the experience of those who are invited on all-expenses-paid educational junkets sponsored…
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Jerusalem Day 2017
This Tuesday evening at sundown, the Jewish community will commemorate Jerusalem Day – the 50th anniversary of the day the vastly-outnumbered Israeli army reclaimed and reunified the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six Day War. My husband and I experienced the depth of the connection the Jewish people have with this place during our…
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I’ve Had About Five Faith Shifts
I’ve had a faith shift. I hope you have, too. Our theme this month at The Perennial blog has been “Faith Shift”. While the words may conjure images of abandoning the faith of your youth at midlife to some readers, it is just as likely that if you’re growing spiritually and emotionally, you’ve moved beyond…
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Shavuot, Pentecost: To Learn, To Try, To Eat
Shavuot begins at sundown on Tuesday, May 30th. Click here for a 5-minute guide to the holiday. Pentecost is Sunday, June 4th. Click here for a 5-minute guide to the holiday. Why am I pairing these two holidays? Because just as every other part of Jesus’ ministry was rooted in his observant Jewish identity, the story…
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What Does “Rejoice In The Lord” Look Like?
Not long ago, an acquaintance asked me how I was doing. She knows my husband and I are facing a number of serious trials. I was having a hard day, and told her so. My words hung in the air for a moment. She rushed to fill the uncomfortable silence with a Bible verse encouraging…