Blog
Shall We Dance?
An Invitation to Pray with Your Whole Self…maybe even dance! For most of us, prayer looks the same every morning: the same comfortable chair, the same cup of Earl Grey tea, the same well-loved Bible, the same scribbled-in journal, and that pen that fits just so in our hands. There’s...
Making Room to Create
Clear Space, Set SMARTer Goals, Hone Your Craft If you’ve ever stood at the edge of the ocean, watching the waves roll in and slide back out, you already know something about the creative life. It has a rhythm all its own. In some seasons, innovative ideas pour in faster than you can...
God of All Comforts
The Wonder Overhead: A Murmuration of Starlings Just before dusk, if you listen closely to the wingbeats and low calls, you’ll hear a rustling murmur above you as thousands of starlings form an undulating cloud. Before they settle into their roost for the night, their gathering creates wonder...
Go Play in the Shallow End: Why Children’s Books Are Secretly the Best Thing You Can Read as a Writer
Recently, I stopped by the library to pick up several novels and nonfiction books I had put on hold. I could’ve ducked back out to my car and kept running errands. Instead, I meandered through the children’s section of the library. Delight bubbled up. I browsed the rows of books for...
The Wonder Tucked Inside the Ordinary
I love lists on legal pads because they hold all the thoughts swirling in my head. If you stepped into my home office on this rainy afternoon, you’d find one lounging by my keyboard and mouse, another sitting askew on my analog calendar, and a third one poised to jump into action on top of my...
A Buddy Pole, A Utility Crew, and A Book Coach
Picture an electrical pole leaning precariously, with high-voltage lines still attached but all those vital wires dangling down a bit too close to the earth. Imagine a neighborhood dependent on that pole to stay steady, for its posture helps provide vital electricity to homes. Such was the...
Stepping into the Story: Friends of the Blind Man at Bethsaida
Josiah’s been my best friend since birth, or so our mothers say. I don’t remember us crawling in the dust together or toddling through the olive grove while our mothers gathered olives. What I do remember is how he loved trees and climbing, even when we were so tiny. Just when we were big...
Learning the Landscape of God’s Heart: Art of Scripture Memorization
We live in a home with a railroad line and a village running through it. Truly. Did I mention that it’s a smallish village encircled by a cozy wooden train track? This summer, all the Legos and wooden train set pieces reside on the floor of our underused sunroom. It’s become the focal point...
Competition or Celebration?
The Candyland game ended in hot tears. One grandchild had lost, and his disappointment quickly turned into anger. The air became thick with accusations, arguments, and attempts to rewrite the rules. His younger sister’s shoulders drooped as the joy drained from her face. I knelt beside him...
A Summer Rhythm for Your Soul
Summer promises rest, but without a little rhythm, rest can become drift. The soul needs spaciousness. It also needs anchors. The slower mornings, looser schedules, porch-swing evenings, and barefoot afternoons all feel like gifts…and they are. Yet, without some kind of rhythm,...
When the Original Plan No Longer Fits
Last summer, I had a plan for a garden and planted five hibiscus trees in our front yard garden spot. Their bright peach blossoms became a vibrant focal point that anchored our garden. Among them, I planted a few edibles, including cherry tomatoes and banana peppers, herbs such as peppermint,...
Beginnings, Endings, and the Peace Between
Before dawn, the alarm breaks the night’s silence. I roll over to shut it off, rising to turn on the bedside table lights as my feet stand on the cool wood floor. I make the bed before I leave the bedroom. I wander from room to room, opening curtains, blinds, and shutters, knowing I’ll be...
