Gaining a heart of wisdom
The garden here on the hill has gasped its last, and sunflowers stand guard over the ruins. Rows of canning jars in my basement are solid evidence of summer's fruition. I expect to be enjoying our beautiful butternut squash for Thanksgiving dinner, but, looking for pumpkins among the tangled vines, the gardening season seems to… Continue reading An Autumn Celebration: The Subtle Beauty of Mature Fruitfulness
“My son, do not forget my law,But let your heart keep my commands;For length of days and long lifeAnd peace they will add to you.” (Proverbs 3:1, 2) Obedience from the heart is the first evidence of belonging. We don’t remember God’s laws and keep his commandments in order to become God’s children. We obey… Continue reading How Do I Show My Love for God?
"Let's move on," wrote Paul in his second letter to the Corinthian church. "Let's go on to visions and revelations of the Lord." And he revealed, probably for the first time ever, an out-of-the-body experience in which he was "caught up to the third heaven." Did it happen when he was pelted with stones and left… Continue reading When You Don’t Want the Gift You’ve Been Given
(Thoughts on Voting from a Political Novice) Voting always feels like taking a test for which I haven't adequately studied. Maybe someday I'll walk into a voting booth with confidence. This year, I'm doing my "homework" to become informed about the issues, and part of my preparation has come through reading the Old Testament book… Continue reading Are You Ready to Vote in the Upcoming Election?
Standing on one foot, I counted seconds and looked out the kitchen window. A downy woodpecker paused in drilling for his breakfast, almost as if he sensed my gaze, and the leaves around him glistened with the morning's heavy dew. My mind-numbing morning exercise routine has made me an avid observer of the world outside… Continue reading Your Extraordinary Life is the Life You Have Been Given
The last rays of sunshine slant their filtered light through the trees, while dragonflies and toddlers chase each other on a summer evening. A backyard circle of lawn chairs holds the body of Christ, gathered around Truth that transcends seasons. Before we break out the watermelon and set the fire pit ablaze, our pastor rises… Continue reading The Earth Overflows with the Gift of God’s Goodness
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1) John begins his story about the life of Jesus on this planet by revealing to his readers what it had taken him nearly three long years to absorb:Jesus, the man who… Continue reading Begin with Awe and Genuine Worship will Follow
Most of the dreams that carried me forward and burned brightly in young adulthood have lost their luster years ago. My twenty-something self would be mortified at the woman I’ve become.I can imagine her indignant voice, hand on hip, eyes wide: “What? No gym membership?” “What is this shipwreck you’ve made of our resume?” But… Continue reading Older Women: Uproot Bitterness and Plant Hope Instead
The road out of Jericho was always well-traveled, but Bartimaeus could sense something different in the air. Just as the angle of the hot sun on the back of his neck told him the time of day, the buzz of the crowd, the whispered excitement, and the press of bodies told him the truth that… Continue reading Driven by Fear to the God Who Casts Out Fear
In a fit of sleep-deprived stubbornness, one day I just stopped reading the Bible. I certainly still believed in God, because I told him quite directly that I had no intention of reading his recycled words. It seemed to me that the prophets and apostles had no idea what it was like to bear and… Continue reading How to Stay Motivated and Excited About Reading the Bible
Living Our Days 