perspective – BeanSpired Editions

Daylight shines into a dim room through a partially open door.

Gospel

Freed to be Saved

March 24, 2023March 25, 2023 Megan Bean

Jesus isn’t a barrier. He’s an opportunity. And He's open to everyone.

A beach lies in deep shadow, with distant houses silhouetted against the beginnings of a sunrise. A patch of orange and gold in the middle of the horizon heralds the rising sun. The dim blue sky above is full of gauzy clouds, with some denser, darker clouds low on the horizon to the right. Dark waves break on the shore to the right, their crests glowing in the dawn.

Disability & Rare Disease, God, Gospel

Loved Beyond Fear

February 28, 2023March 7, 2023 Megan Bean

Because we're loved in the midst of our frailty, we can live well in the midst of our frailty.

A planner lies open on a granite countertop. The month shown is February 2023.

God, Tough Times

When God’s Timing Seems Terrible

January 27, 2023February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

In the face of loss, where and how can we find the providence of a loving, sovereign God?

A Bible lies open in the seat of a power wheelchair in an outdoor setting. Fallen leaves in the grass indicate it's autumn.

Disability & Rare Disease, God

When the Bible Meets Disability

October 28, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

How we view disability and treat those who live with it matter. And, as with every other life topic or ethical question, our best guide is the Bible . . . All our best intentions and attempts at inclusion will miss the mark unless they grow from and by biblical truths.

A clock with a decorative wooden frame hangs on a wall. It reads 8:07. Natural light shines on it from the left, but the room also seems to be lit with soft artificial light.

Tough Times

Preparing for the Hard Times

September 16, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

Nothing can guarantee we'll make it through hardship without scars, slip-ups, or shaky moments. But there are things we can do to maximize our chances of suffering in a way that honors God and makes us more like Jesus. And a lot of that work begins long before the trial does.

The green heart-shaped leaves of an Eastern Redbud tree fill most of the photo. The closest are mere inches from the camera. Some leaves are in sunlight, others in full or partial shade. A few bits of blue sky show though the canopy of leaves. The leafy branches cast shadows on the grass below.

God

A Love That’s Easily Pleased

July 29, 2022February 1, 2023 Megan Bean

When we truly, deeply love someone, we’re easily pleased with their gifts. They could give us a rock and we’d treasure it—because it’s from them. If their heart’s in it, our heart responds. I wondered: How pleased am I with what God gives me? What does that say about our relationship? And how does He respond to what I offer Him?