Gaining a heart of wisdom
This summer, two of my sons spent the better part of a long weekend at my house working on their trucks. One came equipped with tools, the other with his wife and two delightful children. In telling the story of those three days, my grandchildren would report on story time, art projects, and the mingling… Continue reading Uncomfortable Reading to Explore Your Own Heart of Darkness
Soon I will discover what it is like to be alone in the house after my husband leaves for work. There will be no sleepy teenager glued to his bed and in need of resurrection. For the first time in twenty-one years, there will be no homeschooling routine to wrestle with--a change I welcome, but… Continue reading What if Your Loneliness is an Invitation from God?
Sunday Scripture Captain Zsakhiem James has served on the police department in Camden, New Jersey for twenty-eight years. He laments the poor judgment and use of force that resulted in the death of George Floyd, and in an interview with World Magazine, he shared that "Camden's use of force policy has as its foundation 'sanctity… Continue reading What You Leave Out Is Just As Important As What You Put In
The summer of 2020 will go down in history marked by disappointing vacation adjustments, angst over schooling arrangements in the fall, and violence and unrest on so many fronts we're beginning to lose track. I wonder what story you are living, what uncelebrated milestones you have passed, or what ungathered grieving you have walked alone.… Continue reading Finding the Way to Forgiveness and Hope
Sunday Scripture It's a short journey from regret to blame, from sorrow to anger, from sadness to bitterness. Defying the pull toward bitterness seems to be one of the tasks of mid-life and beyond, but the movement toward peace and contentment, while challenging, is also life-saving. The prophet Isaiah was gifted with staggering insight to… Continue reading God Will Always Get It Right
The following life comes with no promise of smooth roads, clear landmarks, or luxurious destinations. At times, it seems as if a Christian world view actually complicates our lives. Suddenly, we are culpable not only for right actions, but for pure motives as well. In a full life with limited time for friendship or fellowship,… Continue reading Women of Faith: The Stories of a Lifetime
Sunday Scripture God is the ocean, and we keep writing about a cup of water."Charlie Peacock, musician and producer One cannot be too careful about one's reading material, especially at thirty thousand feet where confined airplane space and a four hour flight leave plenty of room for pondering a powerful metaphor. "God is the ocean,… Continue reading Will You Play It Safe–or Will You Take on the Ocean?
During the week following the horrific death of George Floyd, I was traveling to meet my brand new grandson. Snatches of news and heartbreaking social media posts were my only connection to the "real world," and in the quiet hours of holding a newborn, this slow processor of current events had all the time I… Continue reading How to Live in a World of Difference
Sunday Scripture For me, Round One was not such that I would have predicted a mushy Father’s Day blog post in my future. (Who would have ever predicted blogs, anyway?) My experience with this Hallmark holiday was aptly described by author, Leslie Leyland Fields: Some will turn away from thirty minutes at the card rack empty-handed and sad.”… Continue reading Father’s Day: A New and Better Celebration
One day, I stopped apologizing for my boring salvation story. While it's true that "I once was lost but now am found," there was no dramatic Damascus Road turnaround for me, no potty mouth to disinfect or cigarettes to snuff out. The real miracle, though, was that God landed with grace in the unseen muck… Continue reading Hope for the Hearts of Saints and Scoundrels
