Posts by Olivia Summers

Watch for Christ’s Coming All right, all right, I’ll admit it: I talk to my TV. Yes, I know the characters can’t hear me. Yes, I know it’s pointless. But sometimes I can’t help but gasp in disbelief or comment when a character misses something that’s so painfully obvious from my comfortable point of view…

Beauty is good. Last weekend, I drove to Harper’s Ferry and reveled in the pockets of autumn color dotting the mountainside. My friend and I climbed the Maryland Heights trail to look down upon the town. As we rested, a hawk launched itself into the air and glided above the river. There was only one…

The kingdom of God is not what we would think—and that’s a good thing. Jumbo shrimp. Bittersweet. Exact estimate. Minor crisis. Humblebrag. Old news. Random order.  What do these words have in common? All are oxymorons, a literary term used to describe combined opposites. On the surface, we understand the ideas oxymorons communicate. However, each oxymoron…

We redeem our life under the sun when we remember what’s above it. It’s barely summer, but already the sun is making itself known. I try to embrace the warmth, but the Minnesota in me wilts with each increasing degree. Underneath the oppressive heat, it’s easy to feel a sense of futility. Problems from past…

Giving thanks in life’s small challenges prepares us to give thanks in hard circumstances. Insects creep me out. (They’re called “creepy crawlies” for a reason!) So to say I was unhappy when I found some ants making their way into my apartment would be an understatement. All things considered, the ants are nothing to complain…

I press a button, and the door to the microwave swings wide open. After setting my plate inside, I close the door and push another button, waiting to open it until the microwave beeps or until the food starts to sizzle. As a sub-par cook, I have learned to appreciate the quick and easy meal…

We conquer a fear of heaven’s perceived disappointments through childlike wonder. What comes into your mind when you think of eternity in heaven? If you are a Christian, you probably feel hope or excitement. But have you ever had apprehensions about heaven? I confess that I have.  I know I’ll make it in: my salvation rests solely on Jesus and nothing else. Instead, I fear eternity. Eternity is so, well, endless…