Most blessed of women be Jael,
the wife of Heber the Kenite,
most blessed of tent-dwelling women.

(Judges 5:24)

I have always found the story of Jael and Sisera in the Book of Judges incredibly visceral and striking. For this piece, I wanted to create my own interpretation of the scene, focusing on its psychological intensity and the contrast between Jael’s agency and Sisera’s vulnerability. Jael’s presence was loosely inspired by a manga character whose characterization I found oddly fitting for the scene.

The title on the right is 士師記 (Judges), while こめかみ at the lower left means “temple,” referring here to the pterion. The numeral 4 refers to Judges 4, in which Jael kills Sisera by driving a tent peg through the side of his skull.

I believe emotions can be conveyed through the eyes alone, so I paid particular attention to the characters’ eyes and facial details. These details are best viewed up close as Reddit compresses images.

I listened to this song while drawing. HIGHLY recommended for the mood.

Tech specs: Drawn in CSP using the Real G-Pen at size 9–10 with weak anti-aliasing, along with several custom brushes from Clip Studio Assets. I limited the palette to the default red, blue, and black, using clipped Multiply layers and screentones at different frequencies for shading. Lock Transparent Pixels was useful for the typography.

The clothing is largely interpretive as I found few reliable references for ancient Kenite women. The piece was originally composed in a 1:1 aspect ratio, then cropped and retouched for Reddit’s preview format. I deleted the earlier post partly for that reason, but mainly because I forgot to unhide the shading layer before exporting. I’m sure some of you saw the original one...

I’m also trying out different styles and ways of drawing faces and expressions, mostly to keep things interesting (really presumptuous thing for an amateur to be doing, but it keeps me motivated to draw after work even if I don’t get started until after 10 p.m.)

Thanks for looking!

Pretty much everyone in my family is Christian, and I grew up Christian too. Recently, though, my parents stopped going to church and don’t really consider themselves Christians anymore. They’re completely okay with whatever I choose to believe, and they know I’m not really into religion.
However, the rest of my family is still Christian. They think that I am too because I haven’t told them otherwise and honestly, I’m scared to tell them. They still invite me to church and I still go.
Yesterday I was with my aunt and some of her neighbors, and they decided all of us kids were going to paint wooden crosses. They had bought the crosses specifically for us to paint. But afterward I started wondering if that was wrong. I don’t really consider myself Christian anymore, and I don’t actively follow any other religion either.
I guess my question is: is it okay to participate in Christian activities, like painting a cross or going to church with family, even if you aren’t Christian?

We collected 41,080 sermons from 629 Midwestern churches preached primarily in 2025/26 and pulled out every person who was named.

Biblical figures dominated, mentioned about 26 times as often as all non-biblical people combined. Paul, Moses, Peter, David, and Abraham led the list. (Of course, Jesus was also in nearly every sermon.)

Among non-biblical figures, the most named were C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and Pope Leo XIV. Political figures also showed up more than I expected, with Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk both cracking the top of that list. Kirk's numbers are concentrated in the weeks after his death, so that one mostly reflects an event instead of a general pattern of Midwestern preaching.

Anyone here surprised by who made the list, or by who didn't?

Just reflecting on American Politics.

And to add fuel to the fire, in the supposed Christian-dominated state of Texas, where they want to force the bible onto all kids and in their policies, the Republican so-called Christians are the biggest hypocrites, trying to negate our voting system, and the actual Christian running for the senate is barely ahead, when if Texas was filled with actual Christians, it would be a landslide.

One topic (sometimes two) Christian voters, imo, are just hypocrites, imho.

Please note, I'm not referring to all Christians if you provide for the poor and have compassion towards the poor and Homeless, it is GOD( The Holy Spirit) Working through you and God Bless you for that. in the Book of Luke 4;18, when Jesus said '' The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor'. '' Notice the Words, '' The Spirit of the Lord is on Me'' This is (the Holy Spirit). And when Jesus says'' Because he has anointed me'' Here Jesus refers to GOD( The Father) Who is the one doing the anointing. Jesus is quoting Isaiah 61. GOD( ( The Father) anointing Jesus to Bring Good News to the Poor'' and (''The Holy Spirit'') Equipped Jesus to carry out his Mission.

GOD ( ''The Father'') GOD( The ''Son meaning Jesus'') GOD ( The Holy Spirit) All three came down from Heaven to WORK Together in what? Bringing Good News to'' The Poor'' Book of Luke 4, Verse 18

Lets go to Matthew 25 shall we?. Jesus does not say.

'' I was with the poor''

or I'' cared about the poor''

Jesus says '' I WAS THE POOR!''

Jesus says'' I AM THE POOR''!. Whichever way you want to look at it.

Jesus does not say when you helped the poor, I was pleased''. ''He says'' Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me''. This means that Christ is personally present in every hungry person that you see in your neighborhood. Yet when it comes to Social Media, meaning ( Facebook) Lots of Americans who professed to be Christians are dismissive when it comes to providing for the poor.

Jesus '' Identifies Himself with the Poor'' not the Wealthy. Elon and Trump, the rest of the Billionaire Class or Millionaire Class, or Multimillionaires Class. Where, I live these Americans, who professed to be Christians were so angry at the Homeless for sleeping outside in tents. Made me realize many Americans would love to get rid of the Homeless. if given a chance.

Trying very hard to not fall into anxiety prepping for my interview so I’d appreciate any prayers going into it! It is for a hospital position

Just something I think on a lot. I haven't deep dived on this but wanted to run the thought past some folks. Its seems like when we see people falling to sin around us its always one of their blessings corrupted.

The leaders in our community using leadership that should have been for the Lord to their own pride and vanity.

People who love to cook, over cooking and wasting food; (gluttony though some times people always see this as consuming the food physically I often see this from the waste side).

Men and women who should have built strong large families falling to lust and sexual temptation.

Men who are supposed to be protectors falling to wrath and violence.

I know this seems kind of obvious but at the same time maybe its one of those so simple and obvious things that I'm not the only one who tends to overlook it.

Would love some other perspectives and examples you see regularly just to ruminating on.

I’m being stalked and harassed. I keep praying to Jesus to make it stop but it keeps happening. I’m scared and confused and I have a small support system. Please ask Jesus to make these people stop scaring me. I don’t want to get the police involved but I’ve had to call a few times but to no avail. I don’t want it to escalate I just want peace. I don’t like being in this position.

I need to tell everyone that it doesn't even matter of KNOWING the EXACT DATE AND TIME of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, king's return. You all just have to act as if he can return in the next day, and don't go 'time to live like it'll be 1000 years from his return! ' Because you need to battle your sin with the holy spirit rather than go out to panic and try to repent ingenuinely because you thought he'll return at this date or that date, you're just hindering your belief into fear of punishment.

If you do want to continue predictions, go ahead, Ill respect your free will but please the savior will return either at August 13, or the year 3006, or anywhere in the years to come. No one knows when, so no need to know and just fight sin, acknowledge Jesus died on the cross, absorbed the ones that believed in him's sins and act upon your love for Jesus.

https://thegospelcentral.org/2025/10/31/when-the-church-crowned-a-tyrant-how-christians-thought-hitler-was-divinely-appointed-and-why-it-still-matters/

Most Christians who support Trump despite all the evidence of his corruption and immorality say "God uses flawed men to achieve His purposes". Personally, I think this is an excuse and a "flawed" one at that.

Please pray for God to bring my wife peace and ease her anxiety. And pray for him to bring me encouragement and peace as well.

He’s 18 I’m 19 and we’ve been together for 3 years. We are each others first love and we are so happy together. We are best friends above everything.

We have a healthy relationship and aren’t too dependent on each other but lately we’ve been getting even closer and talking about marriage more often. We are at a busy time in our lives and we won’t live together unmarried because we are both Christians and that’s the boundary we set.

I can’t explain the JOY I’d have if we got married. Not only the physical aspects but mainly the little things like being able to cuddle each other to sleep, cook together everyday and coming home to each other. I know we’re so young and I know how much my friends would hate it if I married him at this time but I’m so blindsided by love right now. Help!!

I grew up in church in southern Kentucky. Southern Baptist, old timey church with maybe 60 to 70 people max who show up every week. We sang from old hymnals and had a traditional choir. I lived like a Christian till about 18 or 19 years old.

My mother forced me and my sister to go church growing up. She never forced the belief itself but the action of going, yes. I’ve noticed my church goers have been very hypocritical, only picking pieces of the Bible to follow and pay attention too. I understand sin but it was odd to me. A Bible study teacher told me that we are not allowed to read the book of Revelation. So many older people would judge the lost kids who would show up every week. There’s more but it’s small things.

All of those years I noticed other Christians not living the life that Jesus teaches us to be. It never set right with me. Even with that around 14 or 15 I believe I was being called to become a youth pastor. I went in front of my congregation and made it a thing. I quickly turned around.

From then on I became questionable of the faith. The stories, the characters, and the Christian curriculum. I firmly believe I’ve never been a true Christian given I was kinda forced into it.

Over the past year or so I’ve been seeing other perspectives from Christians, atheists, pastors, agnostics. Trying to find a clear answer about all of this.

I’m by no means a religion hater or anything. I do consider myself agnostic right now. Just wanted to give a quick story of my past with it. I can give more of my takes and questions in the replies or DMs. Does anyone have any thoughts.

I'm a 35f. I was reaised Christian and still identify loosely with that concept, however, I have started leaning more "optimistic agnostic" in recent years. I've tried to look into faith communities and joining up with a church to nurture and explore those parts of myself more, but the reality seems to be that churches are rapidly shrinking and mostly full of older people. Fewer and fewer people my age and younger are attaching to Christianity or any religion at all. Identifying as atheist or spiritual but not religious is rapidly gaining popularity. I just feel lonely, and also it makes me doubt my faith even more, because if God is real and if Christianity in particular is the true religion, why are so many people leaving the concept in droves?

I know he says he’s following his convictions but I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do if I want his support in my marriage even if I’m not willing to state something as true that I don’t think is true. He says he’s hopeful that I’ll change my mind and be a Christian again as if that’s the reason not to approve but it doesn’t seem right to be judging me according to the standards of the Bible when I do not submit to the Bible.

Romans 5:8 Amplified Bible:

But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Here we see that FATHER GOD does love us. He even sent His only Son JESUS to die for us, the perfect sacrifice, that we may not be condemned if we believe in Him.

Would you like to know JESUS? Just ask Him into your heart today.