Gaining a heart of wisdom
Movement outside my window is a continual distraction this time of year. Leaves floating down in vibrant shades of turmeric and cayenne pull my attention away from the pan on the stove, the recipe on the counter, the book I’m trying to read. The autumn foliage is breathtaking on this country hill, and I’m reminded… Continue reading The October Book Talk: Where Reading Friends Love to Gather
Sunday Scripture Ready or not, soon we will be immersed in Christmas scenes and memes, countdowns and shopping guides, and among them will be the exhortation to believe in the magic of Christmas. Every year, snowy backdrops and Santa hats inspire us with the single word: Believe... John's Gospel sets the word believe on center… Continue reading What Do You Mean When You Say You Believe?
My schedule is undergoing a radical transformation as I learn the choreography of a different life. For twenty-one years, I have read stacks of books, supervised science experiments in my kitchen, and attempted to explain why math rules hardly ever change while spelling rules hardly ever stay the same. Homeschooling extended my stay-at-home mum role… Continue reading How Will You Respond to the Call of a Gathering God?
Sunday Scripture Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."Matthew 7:7-8 Have you ever heard this verse used like a blank check? I'll confess, when… Continue reading What Is Jesus REALLY Promising?
On Monday night, a crew of wonderful women landed at my house for chili and chowder--or chowdah if you're from around here. Our last pre-COVID gathering had been in February, and while we've been worshiping weekly in our lawn chairs under God's blue sky, I was beginning to miss our closer sharing of the truth… Continue reading There Is Wisdom in Listening to the Lack
Sunday Scripture The 1971 Broadway musical Godspell was controversial among Christians in small town New England, but a brave choral conductor dared to have her high school ensemble sing selections from it at a concert I attended as an elementary school student. Remember cassette recorders? My parents recorded everything with ours, and I nearly wore… Continue reading See, Love, Follow: What Keeps You from Seeing Clearly?
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot When I began reading Elisabeth Elliot's books, I kept a dictionary nearby — her vocabulary far surpassed mine. During the mid-90’s while I was raising babies, toddlers, and preschoolers, Elisabeth had a daily radio program, so I arranged my mornings around Gateway to Joy. On the one occasion that I attended an event where… Continue reading A Life of Reckless Abandon for God
Sunday Scripture If eyes could wear out a page, there would be a hole in my old maroon Bible where Isaiah 41:10 lives: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God;I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Anxiety was my default… Continue reading Why You Can Trust the Promises of God
I'm watching a miracle unfold in my family. Four sons, imperfectly parented, are growing into healthy, responsible, and strong young men. Two of them have even gone on to become imperfect parents themselves, and somehow, by grace, we just keep on forgiving one another for offenses, both big and small, with the understanding that family… Continue reading The Challenge of Faith and Forgiveness in a Christian Family
Sunday Scripture Autumn has landed in the Northern Hemisphere, and with this seasonal change comes early darkness, chilly mornings, and the subtle warning that winter is on its way. Of course there's the compensatory aroma of apple pie and the eye-popping beauty of bright foliage, and the truth is, I have a choice to make… Continue reading You Are NOT at the Mercy of Your Feelings!
Living Our Days 