Gaining a heart of wisdom
Sunday Scripture "I don't need to listen to this," I said out loud (to myself) as I clicked out of my podcast app. The truth is, I could have information pouring into my eyes and ears every minute of the day: news, commentary on the news, audio books, book reviews, interviews, or conversations on the… Continue reading Practice Rich Habits of Faith to Minimize Distractions in a Noisy World
Sunday Scripture If you are a person whose eyes are open and watching in the wee hours, if sleep sometimes eludes you because you aren't sure who's actually in charge when you aren't, you may need words to remind you of the large truth that God's sovereignty, goodness, and love are in effect, even in… Continue reading Why Is Prayer in the Night So Important?
January has required of all of us a degree of restraint that's probably healthy, but may be hard to muster in the moment. A wise woman once said that the secret to growing old gracefully is to remember that I need not share my opinion on every topic nor at every opportunity. Oh, how I… Continue reading The January Book Talk Where Everyone Begins Again
Farewell, 2020!Welcome, 2021! If I've learned anything from the year we've just experienced it's the need for (and the importance of) compassionate listening to those who are different from me in any number of ways. As a majority culture, rural-dwelling woman on "this side" of fifty, it's tempting for me to throw everything I don't… Continue reading The December Book Talk Where Reading Friends Pause to Ponder
I've added a hymnal to the pile of books I tote between laundry room and dining room table on the daily. Starting at page one, I've been working my way through the familiar and the unfamiliar and then recording a line that stands out to me in my journal. Playing hymnal roulette is not even… Continue reading The November Book Talk: Where Reading Friends Give Thanks
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
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
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
"Let's try again," I said, starting the music and extending my hands with a hopeful smile. Who knew that it would be so hard for a class of first graders to agree together on clapping the beat of a simple song? For some, the process was as natural as breathing, but not for everyone. By… Continue reading Learning to Find the Rhythm of Prayer
An Author Q and A with Dorothy Greco It couldn’t have been original with me, but one life goal, scribbled into a journal as a teen, comes to mind often in this season of midlife. In adolescent, loopy handwriting, I inscribed the words in hope. GOAL: Organize your life in such a way that when… Continue reading Marriage in Midlife: A Crisis or an Opportunity?
Living Our Days 