Gaining a heart of wisdom
Very often, when picking beans or tomatoes in the garden, I work alongside the neighborhood honey bees. They're busy ransacking the blossoms and thinking about a honey supply for the long Maine winter ahead of us. At the same time, I'm picturing shiny and colorful jars of beans and spaghetti sauce to store on my… Continue reading What Kind of Fear is Pleasing to God?
On a perfect July beach day, I stood in the Atlantic Ocean up to my knees, enjoying the rhythmic push and pull of thousands of gallons of water. However, as the surf dislodged the sand from beneath my feet, I struggled to maintain my balance. Eventually, I realized that if I insisted on standing in… Continue reading How Can I Stand Firm When the Earth is Shifting Under My Feet?
"Can you teach me how to make biscuits, Bam?" Blue eyes smiled the question with guarded hope, because even five-year-olds recognize the potential of no. Then, with feet firmly planted on the step stool, she measured and mixed while I coached and advised: "Mix in the shortening till all you can see is crumbs all… Continue reading The Positive Impact of Proximity: Stay Close to Your People and Rise Together
I've worn any number of hats in my life as a church lady, but by far my favorite role has been Sunday school teacher in the women's class. Together, we've plowed through everything from Nehemiah to the Psalms of Ascent, usually without a curriculum, instead using a kind of dead-reckoning that has allowed us to… Continue reading The 10 Most Important Points from the Book of Exodus
Sunday Scripture I have begun to consider listening to the morning news as a spiritual discipline, a small act of patriotism in which I put the good of our country above my own comfort or preferences. I've never been a political animal, but events of the past several years and a fleet of newly minted… Continue reading How Can an Ordinary Citizen Begin to Practice a Radical Patriotism?
Sooner or later, it happens to every church-going man or woman. It's as common as trolls on Twitter, and it happens almost every time we sing: We lie to ourselves, and we lie to God. Whether we're singing a great hymn of the church or something more recent, the lyrics are often aspirational--but not actual.… Continue reading Telling the Truth in Worship Requires Clear and Unclouded Vision
The Lord's Prayer is an excellent example of our tendency to stop hearing the familiar parts of the Bible. The notion that "I know what this says" sends us racing through a passage without stopping to be amazed, but if you think of God as your Father in Heaven, you have Jesus to thank, for… Continue reading What Does It Mean to Pray to God as a Loving Father?
When Tim Keller passed away, the media honored his career, and in all the reporting, I noticed one detail about his impact on evangelical thought and culture. When he published his first book (The Reason for God) in 2008, he was 57 years old, and the book was a compilation of his ministry experience to… Continue reading To the Older Woman in the Church: You Are NOT Obsolete
Serving as the substitute teacher on a field trip with a kindergarten class leaves plenty of room for disaster, but I didn't expect to come away from the experience with sadness. We spent a May morning at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and the tulips, peonies, jonquils, and flowering trees were putting on quite a… Continue reading The Power Source for All that You Could Never Be
“Wait,” He said and locked His gaze with eleven pairs of eyes brimming with question marks. “Wait. I have been your constant companion for three years, walking long deserted roads, sharing our meager meals, and sleeping under the stars. I have answered your questions and rebuked your faithlessness, and now it is time for me to… Continue reading Pentecost Sunday: Life in the Interim Time and Waiting Fulfilled
Living Our Days 