Gaining a heart of wisdom
Movement outside my window is a continual distraction this time of year. The last, lingering 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. Autumn foliage has been breathtaking this year, and I’m… Continue reading Your Obedience Makes Room for New Life to Grow
I smile whenever I remember hearing Elisabeth Elliot thank a woman who had asked her a question about maintaining a healthy weight. She said she appreciated the opportunity to talk about the topic because of the popular sentiment that no one is qualified to address it. If you are thin, you don't understand how complicated… Continue reading The Topic Upon Which No One Is Qualified to Speak
When I have a speaking engagement on the calendar, I always start studying a month in advance. It's not a perfect system, but most days I go over my notes, read the Scripture I plan to cover, and try to prepare. In October, a conference featuring the Lord's prayer and a retreat focused on spiritual… Continue reading Why I Am Beginning to Sound Like a Broken Record
Do you ever get tired of taking the same sins to God over and over, asking for his forgiveness and his help, and then failing once again? I sure do, and so I read God's promise of rest in the book of Hebrews with hope and longing. The writer puts his finger on the origin… Continue reading How You Can Seize Those New Morning Mercies
Whether I'm looking out my window or walking the length of our driveway, I love my view from home. And I love being here on the hill with my books and my very convenient kitchen. I love having eight grandchildren, and I especially love my husband and four sons (who are hilarious). Even so, having… Continue reading Falling Out of Love with the Present World
Whenever I watch a toddler walking, I marvel that any of us has ever managed to take a step. Somehow, the vast majority of human beings master the act of perambulation, and by the time we're two, we hardly ever fall! How did we do it? At this year's family beach day, Russell started the… Continue reading Learning To Walk And Seeking To Be Present
I love living where we can easily drive to a sandy beach or walk near a rocky shoreline. One Sunday this summer, we took a ferry to an island where we worshiped with a community of believers who live there year-round, managing the complexity of ferry schedules for needed trips to the mainland. I wonder… Continue reading The Only Thing that Will Keep You from Drifting
Apples are ripening here on the hill, and I'm up against the annual dilemma. I can pick everything now before more fall to the ground, or I can wait a bit and let them ripen on the tree. Some of the apples will be lovely, while others will be blighted or riddled through with worm… Continue reading Are You Looking for a Really Sure Thing?
Sometimes, I think we underestimate the comprehensive change that comes through the power of the gospel. We forget that we have been brought from death to life, from darkness to light, from guilt to forgiveness. I was reminded of this recently while reading C.S. Lewis's thoughts on the Transfiguration of the Lord in Mark 9.… Continue reading The Miracle of Grace’s Laundry—God’s Undeserved Mercy
Have you ever put something off until you were "ready" for it, until you could execute the plan perfectly, until you could see your way clear to the end?"I'll get to that," you said, "just as soon as the chaos in my life settles."After all, it's safer to hang back, to "wait and see," to… Continue reading Just as Soon as the Chaos in My Life Settles…
