Blog
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...
When Creativity Feels Cluttered: Making Space to Create Again
I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a personal chef. What a luxury it would be to have someone plan delightful meals, buy fresh ingredients, cook innovative entrées, side dishes, and desserts, plate them festively, serve them, and then clean up afterward. I’ve been cooking since...
Emmaus Was Never the Destination
This piece was first written as a poem nearly fifteen years ago, born out of a quiet meditation on the road to Emmaus and the mysterious ache of hearts set ablaze. At the time, it held more wonder than understanding—an attempt to name what it feels like to encounter the Word in the ordinary,...
Revision, Renewal, and the Writer’s Craft: Lessons from Lent
The season of Lent invites Christians to slow down and reflect; a time of “revision” in our spiritual lives. Traditionally, it is time for prayer and repentance as we move toward renewal and prepare our hearts for Holy Week and the hope of Easter. Lent encourages us to examine our...
Is Christ Real to Me? 22 Questions for a Searching Soul
When two brothers, John and Charles Wesley, attended Oxford, they desired to deepen their faith. One iteration of that involved forming a small group with other Christ-followers to spur one another, to examine their lives in Christ methodically. John created twenty-two questions to serve...
