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Jan 24, 2025 | 
thebanner.org | Melissa Kuipers
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner. My 5-year-old asked for a microscope for Christmas. I’m not sure I knew what a microscope was at 5 years old. But this aspiring scientist cannot contain his curiosity.
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Sep 25, 2024 | 
christiancourier.ca | Melissa Kuipers
“Imagine waiting until the minister says, ‘You may now kiss the bride,’ for your lips to meet your husband’s for the first time,” Carly said dreamily. We sat in a circle, cocooned in our sleeping bags on the church floor. Carly was the beautiful, vivacious older girl in our Pentecostal youth group, while I was a mousy pre-teen trying to wrap my mind around the looming and alluring horizon of dating. I knew I wanted romance, and I knew I wanted to avoid heartbreak at all costs.
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Sep 20, 2024 | 
thebanner.org | Melissa Kuipers
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner. Half a year ago, my husband and I made the difficult decision to leave our home and relocate. As a result, I had to leave the campus ministry position I had served in for three and a half years.
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Aug 12, 2024 | 
christiancourier.ca | Melissa Kuipers
“I don’t want to see anyone leave,” one synodical delegate said of the motion to suspend dissenting churches and office-bearers, “but as Abraham was asked to offer up Isaac in obedience to faith, I see this as an act of obedience to faith.”Hearing this analogy reminded me of a college student who was struggling with church because of the harms she saw within Christian culture.
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May 31, 2024 | 
thebanner.org | Melissa Kuipers
Three and a half years ago I began a job I felt called to. After I accepted the job, I told the hiring committee that I had prayed this campus ministry position into existence, and I was only half joking. As a writer, mother of young children, and former university chaplain, I was longing for something very specific: part-time campus ministry employment.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thebanner.org | Melissa Kuipers
Like the widows holding up the garments Tabitha had made for them to show Peter how important she was, people hold up my mother’s intangible traits to remind me that she left behind gifts we can still hold. As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner.
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Dec 27, 2023 | 
christiancentury.org | Jonathan Mcgregor |Rachel Mann |Isaac S. Villegas |Melissa Kuipers
It’s hard to imagine a more straightforward case. In November, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in United States v. Rahimi. A man convicted of domestic violence, along with multiple other gun-related crimes, wants his guns back, and the justices seemed to agree that he was too dangerous to have them. The court appears likely to uphold the 1994 law prohibiting dangerous individuals involved in domestic abuse cases from obtaining and possessing guns.
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Dec 20, 2023 | 
christiancentury.org | Jonathan Mcgregor |Rachel Mann |Isaac S. Villegas |Melissa Kuipers
Think of it as the English-speaking world’s most popular day-after-Christmas carol. “Good King Wenceslas,” the British carol about a generous ruler trudging out in the snow to help a man on December 26—the Feast of Stephen—first appeared in a Victorian-era collection of children’s stories, with the intent of encouraging Christian charity. But the inspiration for this fanciful tale was a very real Christian martyr who lived in the 10th century. The historical Wenceslas wasn’t English.
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Dec 18, 2023 | 
thebanner.org | Melissa Kuipers
As I Was Saying is a forum for a variety of perspectives to foster faith-related conversations among our readers with the goal of mutual learning, even in disagreement. Apart from articles written by editorial staff, these perspectives do not necessarily reflect the views of The Banner. Content warning: Mentions sexual abuse of minors“I considered church people easy to fool,” says the Instagram post in all capital letters.
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Dec 13, 2023 | 
christiancourier.ca | Melissa Kuipers
Great Creator,I hold up my one fragile lifebetween the dirt from which you drew meand the sun we spin around. Eight billion of us wander this groaning crust together. Your Spirit once hovered over the watersand we can only hope still hovers today,as the seas continue to rise around us. Help us rest. Rest which you gifted us with in the first garden,where you asked us to keepone tree untended. Leave it be. Let just one tree rest.
