The Living by Design Blog
The Bible is packed with the spiritual nourishment your soul craves. Our aim is to provide resources to help you break it down into bite-sized pieces that are easy to digest. Articles on the Living by Design Blog are packed with heart-focused content, practical solutions for real life, and Bible-based training. Since launching this blog in 2014, we’ve featured more than 100 guest contributors. If you’d like to submit an article for consideration, please review our submission guidelines.
| Article by Sandra Bretschneider | Have you ever cried tears of frustration during your Bible study time? I remember the first time I attempted the inductive Bible study method. This was not the kind of Bible study that I was used to. There were no books involved with questions
| Article by: Theresa Boedeker | For years I tried to appear like Mary Poppins. “Practically perfect in every way.” Which was impossible, as humans are far from perfect. But still, I tried. Early in life, I thought that if I were perfect than people would not get mad at
One of the primary issues people have with the Christian faith is trying to understand how a good God can permit so much suffering upon this earth. It’s a question I still grapple with regularly. Today, I’d like to share a fresh approach to this question that offers a reasonable
| Article by: Cindy Singleton | The sound of my breaking bone still rings in my ears. We were ice skating at the end of a family vacation in the mountains. The ice rink was jam-packed with busloads of kids who’d arrived shortly after we did. One of them darted
| A Guest Post by Jana Carlson | Marriage is hard. Even healthy Christian marriages take work and go through difficulties. Ours is no exception. When my husband and I celebrate our twenty-second anniversary this year, it will be a testimony of God’s grace and the sustaining power of His Word.
The story of the Bible, in my own words. This article is inspired by Scripture, the teaching of Dr. Vic Anderson and the writing of Barry Jones, James Smith, and Timothy Keller. Humankind was created to image God—to reflect the character of the Creator on the earth. Driven by a
| A Guest Post by Michele Morin | My young friend’s question was as deeply earnest as it was misguided: “I know I need to read and pray every day, but isn’t it just hypocritical to go through the motions on days when I’m not feelin’ it?” It’s not hard to trace
| A Guest Post by Becky Meyerson | Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken. On our first family mission trip to Mexico, my husband and I wrote this new beatitude to help us accommodate the delays and changes that continuously happen when you travel with a
Article By: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Today I will share of the most challenging (and rewarding) assignments I’ve received since enrolling in seminary: my own personal statement on the doctrine of the Bible. This assignment forced me to study and understand complex theological terms, justify my beliefs
In today’s blog post, Nicky Johnson shares seven unique places to study God’s Word when you are short on time. Her sassy writing style and no-nonsense advice will have you searching for unexpected spaces and peculiar places to dwell on God’s Word this year. We also share exciting details about
A Guest Post by Jazmin N. Frank Working at a Christian bookstore, I get to have a lot of different conversations with customers from various backgrounds, traditions, denominations, and with various levels of understanding of the Bible. Just the other day I was straightening up the Bible section when I
Whether you are looking forward to the holiday festivities or dreading them, there is one thing I know for certain. Jesus has a plan and a purpose for you in this season. He loves you and desires to love others through you. The holidays are the perfect time to forgive
A Guest Post by Lisa Braziel I came from a small town but had big dreams of making my way into the field of advertising. With parents who worked hard, I had an inner drive that was instilled in me at a very young age. After cold-calling and landing my
A Guest Post by Sandra Bretschneider “Close your eyes!” I blurted to my husband. Unfortunately, my warning came too late. We were sitting next to each other, scrolling through my social media newsfeed when a sexually-suggestive, immodest picture appeared on my screen. Instinctively, I turned over my phone, let out
A Guest Post by Kaleigha Jae “I’ve noticed a difference in you the past few months.” As a Christian, I think this is one of the best compliments I’d ever received. While we grow in faith, our maturity is exemplified by the fruit we bear. If you knew me personally,
Article by Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries Recently, I’ve spent a lot of time organizing closets and storage rooms in our home. In the six years that we’ve lived in our house, we’ve had an unfinished basement that doubled as a “catch-all” for all the extra stuff
A Guest Post by Jennifer Bryant “Look, Daddy! I can do this all by myself!” I remember the first time Dad let go of my bicycle and I peddled without a wobbling crash to the floor. I sailed down our street so smooth. So fast. So free! As a young
Article by Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries As a lifelong Christian, I have always wondered about theology. What does the term mean? What is the purpose of theology? Why don’t I know the answers to these questions? One significant disadvantage of beginning your faith journey as a
A Guest Post by Natalia Drumm Are you ready for the confession of a Bible study teacher? I don’t always get warm and fuzzy feelings when I sit down to study Scripture. As a matter of fact, for many years, and through many seasons, I kept my Bible tucked away
A Guest Blog by Bethany McIlrath Seven years into our marriage, my husband and I have lived in four different states. We’ve been a part of five churches in that time, and had plenty of in-between, “church-seeking seasons” too. With so many seasons of transition, participation in Bible study has
This interactive challenge is packed with tips and resources to help you successfully commit to a Bible study routine, courageously invite others to join you for the journey, and actively seek to unite your heart with other Christians. Sign Up For the Free Challenge Article by Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries I’m
A Guest Blog by Sarah E. Frazer We began last spring with excitement as we planted our little garden. We had grand plans for the anticipated harvest of green beans, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, and even broccoli. But by the end of the summer, our garden was completely overrun. Unfortunately,
Article by Sarah Koontz, Founder ofLiving by Design Ministries Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Jesus’ life and ministry on earth was happening today? I do not believe it would be an error to hypothesize that Jesus’ earthly ministry, and the subsequent work of the Apostles,
A Guest Blog by Becky Meyerson “You will never be able to outrun the rested.” This statement from the pulpit one Sunday landed right in my heart. That is what I was longing for! To run in life and pursue the purposes of God with energy. But at the moment—I
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