My mom has a truly debilitating fear of snakes. So when construction behind her house stirred up several nests a few summers ago, she found herself literally unable to walk into her own backyard. Professional therapy, countless precautionary measures, priesthood blessings all failed to rid her of intense, overwhelming terror. One day, while discussing the matter over the phone, my mom tearfully and desperately described how the only way she could manage to even walk across the driveway to her car was to get on her knees and plead for help before opening the back door. A sudden spiritual realization caused me to blurt out in response, “Mom, it probably…

While teaching his disciples and followers, Jesus was asked by one in the company, “Master, speak to my brother; that he divide the inheritance with me.” And Jesus responded, “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” (Luke 12:13-14) What a beautiful and probably somewhat unexpected response from the Savior! Christ makes it clear that, unlike the wise teachers and leaders of that day, he has no interest whatsoever in worldly versions of adjudication or mediation. In fact, as he often does throughout the scriptures, he rejects outright the notion that we must compete for limited blessings or resources. And by contrast, he implicitly reiterates that his…

Recently in my BYU Western Humanities course, I taught a lecture I call “How to ‘read’ a painting.” Most college students understand not only how to read, but how to read with some depth and analysis. They understand the what — character, plot, and setting. They can also ascertain the how — theme, style, and symbolism. And, of course, some of the best discussions flourish when we try to ultimately understand the why of the writing, the author’s intent, the connections to our own humanity, and the relevance might have for our own lived experiences. But in a Humanities course, where we study great works of art as well as…

Author introduction by Sharlee Mullins Glenn: This week’s devotional is a guest post from Claudia Mills. Claudia is an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado, a fantastic writer of books for children, and a dear friend. She’s also, like it or not, a role model to everyone who knows her. Thank you, Claudia, for being willing to share this with us. I’m rooting for you, and I know that everyone who reads this will be too. May we all amaze ourselves. ____________________________________________________________ I am in the midst of what might be the saddest season of my life so far, dealing with crises of staggering proportions for two…