When I look back over my younger years, my most transformative encounters with God happened when I was spending time outside.
How Books Fuel Imagination
I stretched out my arms and legs, stiff from sitting in the same position for hours. I stood up, realizing I was hungry and didn’t remember when I had last eaten. I stumbled into the kitchen and my father, upon seeing me, remarked, “You’re alive! I haven’t seen you...
Jesus and Self-Care
“For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” Ecclesiastes 5:20 ESV I am a Gen Xer. Our generation was specifically encouraged in our late teens and early twenties to be radical Christians; Jesus freaks...
Beyond Awkward Side Hugs
My friend and I met in a trendy crepe restaurant to talk about our lives—the struggles and the successes. She sat across from me sipping her cappuccino and said with a note of sadness, “Church events end up being reminders that I’m alone. I leave feeling more lonely...
Over-giving and the Enneagram
I sat in the darkened parking lot while my husband helped the woman and her son load up our van with her belongings. She had showed up a couple of weeks ago in my Sunday school class looking very foreign to Florida culture in her black clothes and European accent. The...
The Church & Sex
I was 14 when I was first pressured to have sex with my boyfriend. As a young impressionable woman without the moral guidelines of the Bible, I allowed romance movies and novels to provide the lens through which I interpreted the meaning of sex. It was clearly 1)...
The Lover of Prodigals
Not too long ago, President Donald Trump referred to the MS-13 gangs plaguing the United States and most of central America as animals. At least in my feed, I heard a great deal of righteous indignation with his use of the term, especially because he is referring to...
Bermuda Family Meals & Jesus
We were up so early that it was still dark outside. In typical Florida style, the sky was foggy and heavy with dampness. The drive to the airport in my 12-year-old mind was magical; we were setting off on an adventure and moving to Bermuda. This was new for me because...
Tatyana Claytor
Tatyana Claytor is a mom, teacher, blogger, and historical England enthusiast who would gladly step back into that past, but only for a day and only as a rich person. She loves open windows for fresh air, open doors for new opportunities, and an open heart to hear from God.
