Gaining a heart of wisdom
Rosaria Butterfield writes about our tendency to interrogate Scripture and its truth with a "doubt first and ask questions later" mindset when we see God behaving in ways we don't understand. A more helpful (and orthodox) mindset brings all we know about God's goodness and faithfulness to the biblical narrative and then invites the Scripture… Continue reading Three Powerful Reasons You Should Tell Your Story
My sweatshirt still carries the faint aroma of woodsmoke, and I'll get around to washing it sooner or later. For right now, though, I'm enjoying the memory of our quick, impromptu camping adventure in the tall pine trees surrounding Mount Blue. We carried in our water and used a Coleman lantern and a crackling fire… Continue reading Are You Becoming a True Spectator of the Glory of God?
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?
One summer day, I listened to hard words from a dear woman I had loved and admired for nearly twenty years. We were seated in her small room in a nursing home. My grandson was exploring every nook, cranny, and light switch (and eating one of the cookies we had brought for her!), and I… Continue reading What Do You Do When Looking Back Feels Safer than Looking Forward?
"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
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?
Today I attacked the kind of cleaning chores that I envision other more diligent and domestically devoted women doing all the time: the tidying that requires pulling furniture away from the wall, vacuuming under beds, and applying a ferocious dust cloth to the rungs of chairs and the hidden recesses of bookcases. Homely household routines… Continue reading Elisabeth Elliot’s Unique Blend of Grit and Grace and My Review of a New EE Biography
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
I have a new plant sitting on the window sill of "The Princess Room." Its pink flowers will undoubtedly bring delight to the heart of my oldest granddaughter--primary inhabitant of that particular guest room and the reason it is so named. Now, if I can only keep the plant alive! I have a terrible track… Continue reading 5 Practical Resources to Encourage Daily Rhythms of Spiritual Discipline
Living Our Days 