Women are found all throughout the Bible. Not only are they present, but they have purpose. Even in this day and age it’s hard for women to feel valued and appreciated and understood. Sure, we have made great strides as humanity, but there is still work to do. The great thing about looking at the women of the gospels, is that it takes all kinds. Go…

Mary Magdalene is one of those people that is a lot is said about, but not necessarily a lot is known about. That’s part of the problem of studying things of ancient history. They did not write everything down. Mary and the female followers of Jesus did not have blogs or social media accounts to take us with them. (Wouldn’t that have been great if …

You know why the story of the woman at the well in John 4 is so good? It’s because Jesus knew exactly who this woman was before he ever met her. He knew all the things she had done. All the husbands (and not husbands) this woman had had. And he talked to her anyway. I argue that he passed through Samaria just to speak to this woman. This might even…

John 11 tells about Jesus raising a man, Lazarus, from the dead. He was dead, dead. Been in the tomb for four days. Definitely a miracle. Definitely a great story. However, it’s not my favorite part of the story. Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary. Everyone may know that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but they also know about these two w…

It’s exhausting to have people over. There is so much work to be done. It’s like once you get started the list just grows and grows. Kind of like “if you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass a milk” and so forth and so on. Things like clean the baseboards all of a sudden seem very important to your guests’ comfort and enjoyment whil…

Mary was so young and so wise. She was chosen by God to be….his own mother. The rest of us do not get to choose that. (If I was given the choice, I would stick with the mama I have if you are wondering.) Man does this say a lot about the kind of human Mary was. I mean God knows the number of hairs on my head, but I don’t know if he would have chose…

Can you imagine getting to see baby Jesus? Like for real. What if you were in the church like you always were and as you came around the corner there stood a young couple with a new baby. Suddenly something deep inside of you jumped, and you felt filled with joy and light like you were going to burst. Feeling a strong desire to nurture and protect …

Perhaps this passage is where the insane standard for a woman having it all comes from. Seriously, this woman in these verses is phenomenal…but really daunting to try to live up to. It even starts out by saying, “A wife of noble character who can find?” Now, don’t get me wrong. Scripture exists to teach us and draw us into a closer relationship wit…

Esther is one of only two books in the Bible titled by the female main character. (Ruth is the other one.) It also does not really reference God. So why do I think it is important? First of all, a verse that you have probably heard before is in it. “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” 4:14 I have referenced …

During the time of the Judges an Israelite family from Bethlehem went across the Jordan into Moab because of famine. Should they have gone? Who knows? Moab was not a place Israelites should be. The Moabites were a constant problem to the Israelites. I’m sure Elimelech did what he thought was best for his wife and children. His two sons were not the…

Deborah is a nominally well-known bible character. And rightfully so. She led the Israelites to victory over an army of 900 iron chariots that had been plaguing them for like twenty years. (By the way, iron chariots at that time would be like a tank.) This was no small feat. The opposing army could literally roll right over them and this is pretty …

What is a woman? This question has come up more than probably necessary. Or at least been answered in ways…that make you scratch your head. While I have many opinions on the subject of what makes a biological woman, this isn’t about that. I am a woman, born and raised. I have never questioned that fact, but I have wondered about purpose and place. …

Claudine and I met through a friend of Jim’s. She came very highly recommended for our upcoming trip to France. Jim loves a schedule. We knew she would help us to see Paris efficiently. We did not know that she would become our friend. Her knowledge is bottomless. And she gives interesting facts not just the ones everyone else knows. She can show y…

He is not here. He has risen. Just as he said. Légō is the word used for as he said in Matthew 28:6. It originally means “lay down to sleep” and used later as “laying an argument to rest” i.e. bringing a message to closure – moving to a conclusion – “laying it to rest”. Case. Closed. It is finished to just as he said. Wow. Just wow. Read the rest o…

The crucifixion is terrible to read. The whole thing actually, from beginning to end. All the events that took place…unsettling. I don’t want Jesus to have suffered. The anger I feel when I think of those priests and teachers and elders. The lies they told. Their blood lust. They were supposed to be the ones you could trust. Goodness and morality w…

Molly and I literally met at a bar. We were both waiting for our rooms to be ready at the hotel Alt Summit was being held at. We were hungry and tired from our cross-country flights. I never would have spoken. Thank goodness Molly did. I love it when you meet a friend. Molly is such a JOY. I know y'all are going to love her. Molly Balint is a busin…

We are familiar with all those stories. We are getting to the part of the Bible that we know. Here is what I notice. So much of this chapter is about us getting completely off track. Religious leaders that have gone completely awry, disciples that miss the beauty of the anointing, the meal, the prayer time, and betrayal. I got stuck on Caiaphas and…

Ya’ll this is end times stuff. When you read what Jesus said and the conditions surrounding his return, it’s like check, check, check. Then look out your window to see if you see him. H says no one knows the hour or even the day. But it feels soon, right? It’s going to get worse? Yikes. The Old Testament prophets are all up in this: Daniel, Ezekiel…

As Jesus’s public ministry/life on earth was drawing to a close there seems to be desperation…or a sense of urgency in Jesus. He had made a dent in meeting people and getting his message out there. But there were so many more souls to reach. Jesus never wavered. He remained steadfast. He never went off brand despite being constantly questioned by t…

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” Which ones?” the man inquired. Matthew 19:16-18Why didn’t Jesus say obey all the commandments when the guy asked whi…

“We are all experiencing life for the first time together.” If this isn’t the point of Let’s Talk and Nothin But Fine in general I don’t know what is. I knew I was going to like Alex before I ever talked to her, but this quote on her website really sealed the deal. You are going to love her. She lets us all into her life with such honesty. Alexandr…

I am a product of divorce. I don’t think it created that many issues in my life. I had a fantastic, happy childhood. Sure, the older I get I become aware of emotional scars, but we all have them. I was the only one in my elementary classes whose parents were divorced and a mother that had a career that required travel and long hours. Brentwood, TN …

Someone always has to be the favorite. Right? Why do we do this to ourselves? My children ask me all the time who my favorite is. Like I would tell them. I’m kidding. I really don’t have a favorite because they all take turns being the golden child. I know my brother is the favorite of my parents. It’s fine. It’s not like there is a prize. You woul…

Oh to be on the mountain as Jesus becomes JESUS! Peter, James and John get this opportunity. He changed before their eyes. He became his full self. What a moment. I mean. We know Jesus as fully divine. This is the opposite of what we know about Jesus. We know he was God in a bod. We know that he came to earth to live a perfect life, to be the unble…

Do you know what transfiguration is? Now, if you are a fan of Harry Potter (I am, don’t argue with me about it.) you will think of changing things into other things. Like beetles into buttons. This is not what Jesus does on the mountain with Peter, James, and John. I mean I knew that, but I decided to look at what the Greek word used in Matthew 17:…

So glad that I can call Jane Bertch my friend! Not only does she have a great business that I really enjoy, she also has really enviable, glorious hair. My friend in Paris is so chic. About Jane: When Jane Bertch was seventeen, her mother took her on a graduation trip to Paris. Thrilled to use her high school French, Jane found her halting attempts…

Jesus was pestered by the Pharisees over and over again to prove who he was. Were they completely missing what all he had done? Clearly, they had. Every miraculous thing he did they just weren’t satisfied by. They often said it was evil, blasphemous. They were a distraction and Jesus warned his disciples about their teaching. He likened it to yeast…

There is a woman in the Bible that you probably don’t know. I know that I had never heard of, or at least never paid attention to her story until a few years ago. Do you know the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15? (If any of you say absolutely, I’m going to feel a little dumb.). Jesus and the disciples have travelled out of the Jewish area, probab…

Imagine you are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. You know that this body of water is prone to storms popping up without warning, you’ve lived and worked around it all your life. It’s the middle of the night and the wind has picked up. Soon it is howling and there are waves crashing into the sides of the boat. You are not afraid, but you are wary an…

Marcia embarked on her professional journey in the editorial world at Parenting magazine. Her career evolved with roles as a producer at Women.com, a food editor for 7x7 magazine in San Francisco, and as a contributing editor and restaurant critic at Houston magazine. Her freelance articles and recipes have graced the pages of publications such as …

It’s a Bible story we know so well. We’ve all heard it numerous times. Jesus feeds 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. This miracle is in all four gospels. Honestly, you can’t help but be amazed by it. It’s pretty dramatic. Jesus takes a loaf, holds it up, asks the Lord to bless it and begins to break it. Voila. Everyone is fed. Everyone is satisfied. T…

John the Baptist has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas. We don’t know when exactly this happened, but it is mentioned in Matthew 11. We do know why he was imprisoned. You see John the Baptist had a problem with the “Jewish” ruler being married to Herodias because she was first the wife of his brother, Philip. Now that sounds bad enough on its own, b…

The last verse of Matthew 13 does not mean that Jesus’s power has anything to do with us. It wasn’t that Jesus couldn’t act in Nazareth. He does not need us at all to be who he is or do what he can do. It’s not like in the movie Elf when Santa’s sleigh can’t fly because there aren’t enough people that believe in him. The belief is what makes the sl…

Is there anything worse than having to practice what you preach? Of course, there is, but when you have been encouraging folks to just trust God and his timing, to keep the faith, pray about it then you actually have to follow your own advice? Man that is tough. Periodically I have to remind myself of what God has promised. And that his definitions…

This week on Let's Talk Emily speaks with Lauran Tuck! A philanthropist and education advocate, Lauran Tuck currently serves on the Board of Directors for Matriculate, a national nonprofit organization focused on college access. Over the years, Lauran has worked in the education sector from coast to coast in many ways; including as an elected offic…

Confession: I used to hate the parables. Well, maybe not hate. I would skip over them with an eye roll. I mean they are kind of hard to understand. I could never figure out how they pertained to my life. Jesus was so much smarter than I am and wasn’t the point of reading his words to learn? Why did he have to make it so difficult? Even the disciple…

Convicting things ahead. Goodness. I think the key verse of Matthew 12 is the second part of verse 34, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Jesus spends this chapter talking to the Pharisees, but my oh my how this applies to us. What we are seeing over and over is the Pharisees inability to see who Jesus was and what his mission w…

This chapter of Matthew is hard. I had to get out ALL the translations, commentaries, and text all my pastors and smart friends. Each avenue taught me something new. I love a productive rabbit hole. John the Baptist makes a reappearance. I missed the reassuring nugget here. Glad for commentaries that pointed it out. John is in prison and he has som…

It has been a minute since Helen and Emily have been in the studio! 2023 was a year and 2024 looks to be the same. Do you make resolutions? You know Helen and I don’t love it. Nevertheless, we are setting some intentions/goals. We want all of us to start using the word cahoots more. Tell us how you incorporate this word in your daily vocabulary. I …

This week, we study Matthew chapter 10. Let's dig in! Now there were lots of folks following Jesus. Some of them were following him because they believed who he was and others were probably just there for the spectacle. But Jesus summons the 12. These are the guys we know. The famous, or infamous disciples (later apostles) of Jesus. They had all le…

Welcome back to this compelling second part of my conversation with Pastor Shane Green from Saint Paul United Methodist Church. We delve deeper into the nuances of faith, leadership, and personal growth. Pastor Shane shares the complexities of balancing his pastoral responsibilities with his personal life, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional…

Matthew arranged stories of common themes together. And here I am thinking I am so smart for seeing the connection amongst them. Matthew Chapter 9 is full of miracles. The testimonies these folks walked away with… Paralytic man healed – This story is better told in Mark 2, in my opinion. A paralyzed man is brought to Jesus by his friends. Jesus ack…

Today on Nothin' But Fine we're diving into a conversation that intertwines faith, community, and personal journeys. My special guest is the Reverend Doctor Shane Green from Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia. In this episode, we explore the dynamics of modern-day church life and the essence of community in a digital age. Pasto…

This week on Nothin' But Fine, I share a wholesome conversation with Becca Snider! “Becca has a background in movement through Pilates and Yoga. As a Pilates studio owner and senior instructor, she has been teaching others how to discover what well-being means for them. There is nothing that lights her up more than to see people feel empowered thro…

If you're a long-time Nothin' But Fine follower, you know that we put on a FABULOUS Christmas Carols montage last year. Well, it was so good we are airing a re-run for you! It's our Christmas gift to you. Share this with your friends to get them in the holiday spirit! --- Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website. Follow us on social media: I…

This week, we delve into Matthew 8 with stories showcasing faith's transformative power. --- Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website. Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I GOT TO INTERVIEW SANTA. Ya’ll I may quit doing interviews. I mean how do you top sitting down with THE one and only jolly St. Nick? I mean we know that he is so loveable and kind from our childhoods, but goodness I think I love him even more as an adult. This is an episode you can listen to with your kids. No expose here. Yo…

There is some really great stuff in Matthew 7. Lots of good advice and convicting notes. Here is a quick rundown… 1. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Verse 3 In other words, you better watch how you judge others. The point here is just don’t because you have your own stuff going …

We would like a break. Emily is going to France sans the Trotter boys. Helen wants a Spa Experience. Amy wants a trip to Reynolds. We also talk gift-giving strategies because, whew, it can be exhausting. P.S. get your movie watching cozy clothes on - it’s Hallmark movie time! Be sure to check out: Kim Hassold Art - @kimhassold Rebecca & Maria’s - @…

Jesus had just spent time telling what thou shalt not do. Now we see him advising on how to do things that they were already doing; giving, praying, fasting…even worrying. Remember that every time Jesus says hypocrites, he means Pharisees. Jesus is showing them how they can be better, more righteous that the Pharisees. I find this comforting. For m…