When we formulate an argument —whether an academic essay, sermon notes, social media rant, or a blogpost– it raises the validity of our point if we have sources to support our claims. Our readers or listeners who know us well will likely trust our thoughts (or maybe they know us well enough to  not  trust our thoughts) but those who stumble across us on the web or in the real-life world won’t know if our words are worth their digital space.    Our school children are taught to use reliable sources for their research and to cite them properly. Our university students are expected to find peer reviewed articles to support their points. As purposefully thinking participants on social media or consumers of news reports, fact checking from a third-party source is necessary (but often left undone).    This habit of following the breadcrumbs is also fascinating to use for Bible study. Unless you are reading from your 14-pound, 5-inch thick KJV family Bible ...

  We heard Thousand Steps on Jacks Mountain in  Pennsylvania was a good hike. It was long and arduous, but the view would be worth it. Six kids. Four adults. Two backpacks. The trail began with seemingly easy steps, but quickly turned into steep and narrow steps cut from large rock. With popping knees, tired legs and fear of heights prevailing, we made it a third of the way before needing to turn back.   As we began the task of getting the smaller kids down the steep steps, I made sure to point out the danger of stepping on the soil rather than the stone steps. It seemed obvious to the adults, but the kids obeyed despite feeling bothered that I gave them pointers on how to get down safer. Every few yards they needed reminders.    “Stay near the middle of the step, the edge is a bit more dangerous if you were to tumble.”   “Try to make your shoe land on the rock step, not the loose gravel and soil.”   “The drop to the next step is really long, this is a...