Gaining a heart of wisdom
“Spring is a promise in the closed fist of a long winter . . .” Lifted from a poem by Luci Shaw, these words frame my thinking on this blustery day when the promises I made to myself and to God back in January about healthy choices and better habits have begun to sputter out for… Continue reading Spring Is a Promise
“I should have worn sturdier shoes.” “What was I thinking?” Well, for one thing, I was thinking that an invitation to go for “a walk” issued by a seventy-five-year-old woman with a snowy crown of fly-away hair would be a rather sedate affair. I was thinking that we would chat, and that Helen would tell… Continue reading Vocational Equilibrium – A Tribute for Women’s History Month
You're sitting around a table at your favorite restaurant. The kids are just cleaning up their plates; you're fiddling with the debit card, when along comes the little lady with the big smile and the kind eyes. "I just have to tell you how much I enjoyed seeing your children this evening . . ." she begins,… Continue reading Raising Uncommon Kids
"As Christian women, we desire to honor God by living countercultural lives that reflect the beauty of Christ and His gospel to our world . . ." These powerful words lifted from the True Woman Manifesto are a wake up call to women, an invitation to enter into a life based on truth, and to… Continue reading Divine Design
Rest is a radical practice. In our hyper-scheduled culture that worships productivity, it's easy to slip into a negative attitude toward those who promote a more rest-filled lifestyle, but The Radical Pursuit of Rest is not seeking to add one more thing -- resting! -- to the already full do-list. Author and professor John Koessler asserts that rest… Continue reading Rest: A Remedy, a Relief, and a Gift
A couple of weeks ago, my grandson walked into our house on his own two feet for the very first time. There was snow on the ground -- an indescribable delight to a sixteen-month-old -- and, although he is still working on balance, he strode manfully across the lawn. The expression on his face revealed… Continue reading Keep On Drawing Near
People and books reserve the right to surprise us, and it's a real delight when both happen at the same time. I opened the pages of Barbara Hughes's book expecting the equivalent of a heart-to-heart over a mug of steaming tea, an open Bible and a warm sharing of practices that have held us close to… Continue reading Strength Training for Countercultural Women
Four words link the heart to the anchor of God's steadfast love; Four words acknowledge God's goodness in the midst of difficulty: No matter what happens. Thanksgiving -- no matter what happens -- was the challenge facing Lauren Chandler during days in the desert, in the crucible of her husband's cancer, riding the daily waves of parenting… Continue reading No Matter What Happens
A quick (but extremely thorough) bout with a stomach virus provided some quiet in which to ponder the word "hope" in my preparation for this week's study of Hebrews 6. Skidding to a stop, writing not one word, reading not one sentence, resting in the enforced quiet, I was able to see some road signs… Continue reading Skidding into a Steadfast Hope
There are times when our kids surprise us -- or even surpass us -- with their insight. This was certainly the case with my youngest son: "It's too much," he said. "I've got all this music to learn for honors band. I'm buying a sheep. I want to work with Cyprus (his 4-H heifer). I'm… Continue reading Peace and Purpose in a World of Crazy
Living Our Days 