A Lesson on Praying for Our Children
I was in my 40s when my grandmother, Jewel, died in her mid-90s. One of my strongest childhood memories was sleeping in the extra twin bed in her room and hearing her pray aloud for each family member by name before she went to sleep.
Beholding the Beautiful in the Brokenness
Sometimes the very thing our souls most need is to stop in the middle of the brokenness and dwell on a thing of beauty. To be reminded that for all that is wrong and broken in the world, there is also beauty and light and life.
The Simple Rhythm that Gives Me Peace
It's easy to taste and see the goodness of God out there on my back porch every morning. After a spring that was far busier than I expected or planned for, believe me when I say that I'm appreciating the gift of slowing down for a while.
All Things New
As we leave 2020 behind, know that this promise, written long before the coronavirus entered our world, still stands. It is just as trustworthy and true now as it was then.
The Light Shines in the Darkness
Jesus called himself the Light of the World, and it is his light that we cling to when the darkness presses close.
A Different Kind of Thanksgiving
Today, I'm choosing to name the good and give thanks for the many blessings of 2020. Though it has been hard, it hasn't been all bad. Not by a long shot.
A Word for the Worn and Weary
If you're feeling worn down and weary from all the things, know that you're not alone. This world is too much to bear in a normal year, much less in a year like this one.
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
May we be women who turn away from the world, that we may meditate on the Lord's precepts and fix our eyes on his ways.
The Giver is Good
Of course I’m grateful for the big things. Salvation. The grace of God. Forgiveness of sin and the promise of heaven. But the little things matter too.
Name the Tiny Joys
There's something to be said for the simple act of naming the tiny joys in life. It may not seem like much, but taking a moment day by day to focus on the good and give thanks for blessings both big and small has a way of slowly but surely changing a heart.
Fullness of Joy
With God, there's hope and life and the assurance that though things are very, very bad in the world, they are very, very good in the presence of the Lord.
A Prayer of Confession
One of my seminary professors opened every single class by having us recite this prayer together. It was a good reminder that we have all, each and every one, fallen short of the glory of God. We have all fallen short of his expectations. None of us are perfect, and it’s good to admit it on the regular.