Gaining a heart of wisdom
I'm not very happy with my new glasses. I guess, technically, they're not exactly new anymore, because I've had them for at least six months. Sadly, I'm still getting used to them, and it seems that I'm not seeing as well as I did with my old glasses. For someone who reads as much as… Continue reading Hope for the Days When Your Faith is Blurry
"I'm manifesting a new job in 2026.""I'm manifesting a quick end to the unrest in Iran.""Let's manifest solid growth in our church this year." Manifest was the Cambridge Dictionary word of the year in 2024. Since 2020, public figures and influencers have been writing articles and social media posts that encourage women to "manifest anything… Continue reading Has Manifestation Found Its Way Into Your Prayer Life?
You don't need me to tell you that these are anxious days we're living in. Even if you limit your news intake as I do, the headlines are beyond belief, and it's easy to let our hearts slide into unhealthy rhythms. I've said it before here, and I'll say it again: We fall back onto… Continue reading Calm Your Anxious Heart with Rich Devotional Reading
After almost thirty-six years of marriage, my good husband and I agree on most things and are pretty compatible. That's been a gift to both of us. The one area that still stimulates "discussions" between us is our orientation to time. He is firmly planted in the present moment. I am already living in the… Continue reading Living Our Days in the Present—in the Presence of God
Suddenly, I have a grandson who is almost as tall as I am. It happened this winter. After a couple of weeks of quick hellos and brief connections, I finally got a whole day with him and his siblings, and there he was, standing there with his brown eyes looking straight into mine. His growth… Continue reading Sometimes the Greatest Transformation Comes When You’re Not Looking
You can learn a lot about people by studying the search history on their computer or phone. Mine, for example, includes two tabs on the book of Habakkuk, several on Google Docs, and a random assortment of blogging websites. If you guessed that I'm doing some reading, writing, and teaching, you'd be correct. Using the… Continue reading Pray in a Different Way Because of Your Fear
Spiritual disciplines are a means of enhancing the believer’s enjoyment of Jesus. They create space in a busy life for God to speak. The grace-empowered practices of prayer, gathering for worship, fasting, and meditation (to name a few) are evidence of our relationship with Christ. They become an invitation to do away with our weighty… Continue reading Resist False Stories and Reclaim Space for Truth
Flipping open the pages of my Bible, I turned to the book of Matthew, my scheduled reading for the day, and my entry into the New Testament after months of reading in the Old. This is where I should have picked up my phone and texted my reading partner, Peg, to say, "Hey! We made… Continue reading Stay Present to the Truth Even in Your Grief
Going through an old journal from the days of four kids under the age of nine, I found an entry based on my reading of Nehemiah 4:10: “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot build the wall.” “Wow,” I thought, scanning the entry. “That must have been quite… Continue reading Feeling Helpless in the Rubble? Remember the Lord!
One of my favorite church life memories was summer Vacation Bible School. The program was all-hands-on-deck as we decorated the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, welcomed the kids, provided snacks, played crazy games, sang enthusiastic songs that fit the theme, and sent them home with gospel truth on replay in their little brains. Everyone, from… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Be God’s Forever Family?
Living Our Days 