Gaining a heart of wisdom
(Thoughts on Voting from a Political Novice) Voting always feels like taking a test for which I haven't adequately studied. Maybe someday I'll walk into a voting booth with confidence. This year, I'm doing my "homework" to become informed about the issues, and part of my preparation has come through reading the Old Testament book… Continue reading Are You Ready to Vote in the Upcoming Election?
Prayer is hard work, and it is important work—perhaps the most important and impactful ministry to which God has called each of us. In prayer, we carry those we love into the presence of God. We stop our mad rush and acknowledge an occasion, a moment, a feeling, or a state of being. Our prayers… Continue reading The Gift Of Fresh Language For a Daily Practice of Prayer
Mothers have a sixth sense, a superpower for detecting discouragement in our children. Sometimes we pick up on a prolonged silence, a tone of voice, or even a topic they don't talk about. This all causes me to wonder what tipped off the Apostle Paul when he wrote to encourage his spiritual children in Ephesus.… Continue reading How to Pray Effectively for Your Discouraged Child
I'm not in the habit of schlepping Bible commentaries with me in the car, but we were playing tourist, staying at an Airbnb with no more exciting plans than to sit in lawnchairs facing Moosehead Lake. For me, vacation means reading, and Amy Peeler's commentary on Hebrews was at the top of my TBR pile.… Continue reading The Trustworthiness of God in the Book of Hebrews
Standing on one foot, I counted seconds and looked out the kitchen window. A downy woodpecker paused in drilling for his breakfast, almost as if he sensed my gaze, and the leaves around him glistened with the morning's heavy dew. My mind-numbing morning exercise routine has made me an avid observer of the world outside… Continue reading Your Extraordinary Life is the Life You Have Been Given
I'm not much of a traveler, so when I say that I'm just back from "a quick trip to Florida," please know that this meant I had to can the green beans, pick and pickle the cukes, and snatch the snap peas off their vines before I could even begin packing. Through every single delightful… Continue reading Tell Me Everything About Your Good Life in Maine
The last rays of sunshine slant their filtered light through the trees, while dragonflies and toddlers chase each other on a summer evening. A backyard circle of lawn chairs holds the body of Christ, gathered around Truth that transcends seasons. Before we break out the watermelon and set the fire pit ablaze, our pastor rises… Continue reading The Earth Overflows with the Gift of God’s Goodness
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1) John begins his story about the life of Jesus on this planet by revealing to his readers what it had taken him nearly three long years to absorb:Jesus, the man who… Continue reading Begin with Awe and Genuine Worship will Follow
When I'm teaching a group of women I'm meeting for the first time, I try to begin with some small part of my story. I talk about my four sons or my adorable grandchildren. I might mention my garden in the summer or complain about the early winter darkness here on this country hill in… Continue reading A Fresh View that Deepens an Already Beloved Tale
Most of the dreams that carried me forward and burned brightly in young adulthood have lost their luster years ago. My twenty-something self would be mortified at the woman I’ve become.I can imagine her indignant voice, hand on hip, eyes wide: “What? No gym membership?” “What is this shipwreck you’ve made of our resume?” But… Continue reading Older Women: Uproot Bitterness and Plant Hope Instead
Living Our Days 