I once lived in a second-story condo along a large river and if I’d had any arm strength whatsoever, it would’ve been a stone’s throw from the water. A pair of great blue herons lived within sight of what was my favorite spot—an 8×5 deck just off the dining room. I never grew bored of…
I can still picture the moment in March when I realized life, as I knew it, was going to be completely interrupted. Working nearly full time as a substitute teacher had become part of my daily rhythm. It was also my current calling, where I found fulfillment. In addition, my daily rhythm operated harmoniously with…
If the pandemic were an experiment, mad scientists would designate my family as part of the “control” group. After all, my husband and I have both worked from home for years, and I’ve homeschooled our four children for almost a decade. We haven’t had to navigate the huge work-week disruptions. Rather, the social media posts…
In April 2020, I wandered our local Walmart pushing a cart of odds and ends. I always feel a little separate from myself when I’m shopping, but this time, with the “lock down” extended another three weeks, my fellow shoppers mirrored my wide-eyed uncertainty. Toilet paper, flour, dry beans, hand sanitizer…what else? What else? Finding…
This is what the Lord says: They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son. Jeremiah 31:7, 9 (New International Version) It’s been…
The meeting was said to be scandalous, forbidden by the community. It was also a meeting divinely orchestrated by God so that his good news would be preached and that the brokenhearted would find healing. True to himself, the Almighty would prove that he indeed is sovereign and “delights in impossibilities,” as Andrew Murray says….
According to Richard Rohr, the prophets in a social structure stand off-center in a place of observation. Their position on “the edge of inside” affords them a view that is informed and yet independent. From this vantage point, the Apostle John was given the divine direction: “Write what you see.” And he saw plenty. Artists…
Life-altering revelations are a bit like electrical storms. They thunder in without much warning, striking the often unaware. Like the moment I knew I was with “the one.” The backdrop for this realization wasn’t what I expected. There was no Oscar-worthy score or cinematic sunset. Just dark clouds hanging over the horizon instead. Love was…
It was nothing short of a miracle that there was a church—a Protestant church—at the end of my street. I hadn’t been in Yelabuga, Russia, for two weeks, yet I already felt crushed by the loneliness and spiritual darkness that hung heavy over the city. The Fulbright program had catapulted me and my idealism into…
I was six time zones away from the tragedy, yet I felt the concentric circles of its pain. It was Friday the 13th. Gunmen and bombers had taken to the streets of Paris, attacking citizens at a soccer stadium, a concert hall, and restaurants along the streets. The iconic city known for its quaint cafes…
She wasn’t always called Aunty. Her grandfather named her Romawii, which means “beautiful treasure” in her native language of Mizo. Her grandfather was one of the first Christians in her northeastern India homeland, and he delighted in traveling to villages to share the love of Jesus. Aunty says God blessed him for his work by…
Life comes with no promise of smooth roads, clear landmarks, or luxurious destinations. At times, it seems as if a Christian worldview complicates our lives. Suddenly, we are culpable not only for right actions, but for pure motives as well. In a full life with limited time for friendship or fellowship, the authors of good…
God’s timing is perfect and that is certainly true for Sheila Wise Rowe’s book on Healing Racial Trauma. In the midst of a pandemic year, which may well be the worst imaginable year to launch a book, God has allowed our present circumstances to usher in a deep need for the message of Rowe’s book….
Coming into marriage, my husband and I had very different experiences with hospitality. I grew up in a socially “quiet” family. My parents’ friends never stopped by unannounced (or practically ever) and I can only recall one memory of our family hosting a party. We only saw our relatives every few years because they lived…