Faith
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
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Doing Death Together
Maybe it’s because it’s Lent or maybe because I played for a funeral on Saturday, but I’ve been thinking a lot about death. Okay, actually, I think that’s just my personality. I’m a joyfully melancholic person with a bent toward the Medieval. Memento mori (“remember that you must die”) has always been more appealing to… Continue reading
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Reading Roundup: February 2023
I read ten books in February and, as usual, my reading tastes are unpredictable. The genres I enjoyed range from speculative fiction to poetry to journalism and nonfiction to historical biblical fiction. It would be a wild ride if I weren’t, well, sitting comfortably on my couch with a cup of coffee and a blanket.… Continue reading
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Make Christian Nonfiction Beautiful Again
Yesterday, several people asked me what I was reading. When I replied, “Abraham Kuyper’s The Work of the Holy Spirit” and showed them this thick treasure-trove of a tome, there were two basic responses: 1) nodding and backing away as though Reformed theology is contagious and 2) an appreciative nod accompanied by some comment that… Continue reading
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Why I Moved to Iowa
I was asked today how I knew moving to Iowa was the right choice. This picture is the closest I can come to an answer. In June 2021, two weeks before our wedding, Billy and I visited Iowa for him to interview at Prairie Bible Church and it was one of the worst weekends of… Continue reading
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A Midwestern Take on Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light… Continue reading
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The Spirit Moves in Mysterious Ways…and then other times the Spirit is VERY Clear
This title really says it all. Yesterday, I had a moment of angst. I was hard at work on my book proposal when my laptop began to act up again. I’ve been ignoring its quirks for months now and, finally, had to admit it was time for an update. My workflow was disrupted for the… Continue reading
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Structural
Our little church is not so little anymore. Attending services still feels like a family reunion and newcomers have a hard time escaping without many handshakes (or hugs) and plates loaded with homemade snacks. I hope that our church maintains this small-church love, but there’s no doubt about it now: we are growing and need… Continue reading
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Joyfully, Ryanne
I sign my emails “Joyfully,” which seems ironic. I don’t tend toward cheerfulness when I open my cluttered inbox. Signing my emails this way began as a choice—much like joy. No matter my mood when I type the body of a message, I am forced to rejoice when I sign and send it. The early… Continue reading
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Lessons from a First-Year Pastor’s Wife
One year ago yesterday, we closed on our house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. One year ago tomorrow, our church laid hands upon us, and my husband became a pastor—and I became a pastor’s wife. This year has flown by, and it’s been one of the best yet. I thought my career as a musician was… Continue reading
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Essential Equations: Goodness in Ministry and Music
I deeply enjoyed drafting the sixth chapter in my work in progress, Fruitful Worship, in which I considered the necessity of doctrinal, moral, and creative goodness for fruitful music and ministries. As I wrap up this chapter, I want to share the following, which may be helpful to those who, like me, might wonder where… Continue reading
Recent Posts
- Should we be Concerned that Using Music by Bethel and Hillsong is Contributing to our Culture of Immediate Gratification? On Patience and Using CCM Music in Worship
- “Lord, Lord” – A Poetic Reflection on Matthew 7:21-23
- Is Singing Music by Bethel and Hillsong Promoting Peace in the Body of Christ? The Answer is More Nuanced Than You Think.
- Rejoicing with the Truth: Does Using Music by Bethel and Hillsong Generate Genuine Joy in our Churches?
- Is it Loving to Sing Music by Bethel and Hillsong in Our Worship? Reexamining the Debate According to the Fruit of the Spirit Part 1
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Ryanne Molinari 