All posts by Steven Reder

To be thy will or not to be thy will, that is the question…


It might seem like a silly question, but it has come up a number of times — how do I know whether or not to add “if it be thy will” to the end of my prayers? I actually wondered this myself at various times. I think the key is learning to discern what God

Nobody Understands…


For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses ,but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace

Remembering What God Forgot…


People have a hard time letting go of the past. Perhaps you have regrets. Did you do something stupid last semester? Did something embarrassing happen to you? Maybe memories of those events are keeping you from trying again? If so, you are letting your past wreck your today. Or maybe you committed a certain sin

Water From Air Conditioners


It is human nature to perhaps look to the future and see nothing but disaster waiting in the wings. This is going to go wrong. That is going to go wrong. Certainly, problems will develop, but they might not always be the problems we foresee and prepare for either. I remember reading an article once

Grumbling, Bumbling, Stumbling…


Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life (Philippians 2:14-16). Despite my fond memories of college and how much fun I

Who, What, Where, When, WHY?????


I majored in journalism at college. They taught me to answer these questions when writing a story: who, what, where, when and why? As sinful human beings, we tend to focus on the last one the most, don’t we? WHY did I get a bad roommate? WHY can’t I find Christian friends at college? WHY

The Lost Art Of Encouragement


As I look back on my college years, I am trying to remember a single instance where a fellow student gave me encouragement. I’m not complaining. Enough years have passed by to make me realize that if I did have any negative feelings toward someone at college, the feelings weren’t serious enough to be remembered

Is It Safe?


I watched Marathon Man recently — the movie where Dustin Hoffman is a college student and gets interrogated by a fugitive Nazi dentist who repeatedly asks him “Is it safe?” This got me thinking about colleges and safe spaces. Safe spaces are a somewhat new development. If a college student feels challenged by an idea

Men and Women Living Together


I’ve heard this one come up a couple of different ways: 1. My boyfriend/girlfriend and I are going to get married. It’s cheaper for us to live together until then. We’re not sleeping together, though! 2. Sometimes folks have roommates of the opposite sex in college. They are not in any sort of relationship with

Jesus And X


As college gets further and further in the review mirror, I look back and think about what I regret the most. I find that I don’t regret any of the challenges and the stuff that made me unhappy or stressed. I don’t even particularly regret stupid choices, like running through snow in my bare feet.

Politically Correct


When I see colleges in the news these days, it seems that they are usually in the news for protests. Some controversial speaker is scheduled to speak at campus, and students come out and protest the appearance away. Usually the speaker in these stories is someone who is considered a conservative. Their views are labeled

What Problems Are You Having This Week?


Do you have too much homework? Too many tests? Roommate problems? Relationship problems? Loneliness? Illness? Maybe you are thinking that if you can just get past this present hurdle, everything will be smooth sailing. And it might be smooth sailing…until the next problem. No shortage of problems exist, for we must through much tribulation enter

Where Is God On The Bad Days?


There are bad days — one gets sick, has too much work to get done, too many bills to pay and relationship problems — and then there are really bad days — one ends up in the hospital, consequences from unfinished work lead to getting fired, the bank account goes into the negative and relationships

Deeds Not Creeds?


If you are a college student out and about in your new town looking for churches, you may have noticed that doctrine has become a dirty word in some circles. Deeds not creeds, is often a slogan bandied about. At its heart this philosophy boils down to, “We don’t want to get bogged down in

A Master Horror Story


I’m a fan of horror stories. I’m not sure why. Simply put, I’ve always gravitated toward them. I’ve read various reasons why horror stories are popular. One reason given is that horror stories give people a safe way to deal with and vent their fears. Another reason that I am okay with horror stories is

Shaky Faith Built In The Wrong Place


I realized a problem many people, including myself, have when it comes to faith. They tie their faith to life experiences. I have money in the bank, my faith is solid. I have am short of money, my faith is shaky. I have a good marriage, my faith is solid. I have a bad marriage,

God Is Your Roommate Paperback


God Is Your Roommate is now available in paperback. Follow this link to order. Books are amazing things. They contain knowledge, entertainment, directions and more, but what gives them their power at the end of the day? Why do they cause such a reaction in us? It is likely that books are part of the