Recently, I’ve been posting a story on Tev’s Next Idea, my solo role-playing blog, based on a journaling game about relationships. One of the scenes features a girl named Gwen explaining how she and her family rely on their faith as they deal with her brother, who is suffering from a severe medical condition. Another character, Lance, asks the question that many people, unbelievers and believers alike, might ask in this situation: If God is so good, why would he let this happen?  Gwen responds by telling Lance how God has been involved in every step of her brother’s life, from allowing

In the early days of Christianity, it would have been hard to find anyone in Jerusalem more zealous for God than this one particular person.  Born into a religious family, his father was a Godly leader among the people. Like most boys his age, he studied the writings of Moses and the prophets diligently.  This student wanted so much to follow in his father’s footsteps that he excelled in his studies and advanced well beyond his peers. He boasted about his knowledge of the scriptures and strove to live by them.  Eventually, he rose to a respected position within the religious councils of Jerusalem

. . . And it was not easy!

Before you start picking up stones and cry, “Blasphemer!” let me explain.

If you’ve been here for a while and looked around, you probably know that I run a sister site to Half Air called Tev’s Next Idea.   If you like fantasy and/or role-playing games, you might want to check it out. TNI is where I share my interest in solo role-playing by postings stories based playthroughs of various “pen and paper” games.

I’ve enjoyed solo role-playing since 2019 and, as a scan of my archive will show, I went all in for the first few years.  I was learning, reading, playing, and writing SRPGs

I have spoken highly in the past about The Bible Recap, a Bible-in-a-year reading plan with an associated podcast hosted by Tara Leigh Cobble. I’ve kept on track with the Old Testament throughout the year, and I am looking forward to moving into the New Testament next month.

Before the start of the year, I invited anyone who was interested to join me as I worked through the plan. However, reading the entire Bible in a year may have been a daunting task. But, with the New Testament starting on October 1^st, it’s a great time to jump in with only a three-month commitment. (Or however long it takes.  As Tara

For [God’s] invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  (Romans 1:20)

In the verse above, the apostle Paul was clearly writing about how all of nature stands as witness to the existence of God.  Rocks, trees, streams, and mountains may not have a small stamp near their base that reads “Made in Heaven” or a sticker that announces, “Quality Checked by God,” but nature still can begin to give us insight into God, insight that hopefully will lead to scripture.

I believe it’s