Author Ava Pennington
Author Ava Pennington

The People of Christmas: The Hostile

Keep prayer out of schools. Don’t talk to me about Jesus. Believing in God is fine for you, but I don’t need a crutch. How could you believe in a God who allows bad things to happen to good people? Jesus. There’s something about that name…but not always in a good way....

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The People of Christmas: Those Who Trust

I trust the sun will rise tomorrow morning. I trust gravity will keep my feet anchored to the floor when I get out of bed. I trust the light will turn on when I flip the electric switch. There is a slight chance that one or all of those things may not happen. But...

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Thanksgiving List

I've been posting something for which I'm thankful every day this month. Today, in honor of Thanksgiving, I offer you my list: A month of thankfulness: Day 1 – Thankful for God’s sovereignty in the world…and in my life. Day 2 – Thankful that God is faithful even when...

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Buck the Crowd – Give Thanks

We’ve all heard the advice: Don’t buck the crowd. Go along to get along. Don’t rock the boat. When I’m with a group of people, often the last thing I want to do is buck the crowd. Children are especially vulnerable to this feeling. As a child, I was the...

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Even Frogs Praise!

Cows moo. Dogs bark. Frogs croak…and so do I. I wish it weren’t true, but wishing doesn’t make it so. Although comparing my singing to frogs’ croaking might even be insulting to the frogs.That’s why I often have mixed emotions whenever I read Bible verses encouraging...

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The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Thirty years ago, I stopped a pickpocket. It happened on Nassau Street in lower Manhattan as I watched a man match his stride with the woman in front of him. When he was close enough, he reached into her coat pocket from behind and lifted out her wallet. She was...

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Day of the Dead

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is attracting more and more life these days. Historically a Mexican tradition, Day of the Dead celebrations are spreading across the United States. This year, Dia de los Muertos will occur on November 1 and 2. But it’s more than...

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Powerful Names

Names can ignite treasured memories or they can bring to mind people and experiences we’d rather forget. When I hear the name Barbie, I think of the iconic doll from my childhood. Elizabeth reminds me of the Queen of England. Sandy reminds me of…tragedy. Two years ago...

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How Do You Repair Your Cracks?

I’m a cracked pot. Not a crackpot, although some might disagree. A cracked pot. Normally, cracked pots are dumped. Discarded as useless. Trashed as garbage. That was me – cracked and purposeless. Of course, being me, I tried to fix myself. I patched up my cracks as...

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Convictions or Circumstances?

My heart weeps for her, even though we’ve never met. Twenty-nine, a newlywed, and terminally ill with brain cancer. Who wouldn’t be moved by Brittany Maynard’s story?  Last April, Maynard was given no more than six months to live due to stage four glioblastoma, a...

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