I’ll never forget the day I told my high school senior, as he headed out for a big day at school, that I’d be praying for him. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me, genuinely perplexed. Then asked, “Why would you need to pray about that?” Knock me over with a feather. WhatContinueContinue reading “Embrace Prayer: It’s Not All Asking”
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Hiddenness: Discouragement to Joy
Cloaked in the darkness of the theater, tears streamed down my cheeks. The questions asked by the Herdman children in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever caused something within me to break open. Having never heard the Christmas story – not ever – the Herdmans were entranced. Confused. Mortified! How could an innkeeper not give aContinueContinue reading “Hiddenness: Discouragement to Joy”
Hidden Treasures: Loving and Gracious
After we got married, I made it my mission to find a church home for us. In His utter creativity, God’s church of choice surprised and wowed me. Looking back, I now think I have language for what had me speechless and hungry for more – this church knew God’s love. And as a result,ContinueContinue reading “Hidden Treasures: Loving and Gracious”
Hidden Messages: Mystery and Wonder
Give me a solid, non-graphic mystery to read, and I’m happy. From my days of reading Encyclopedia Brown in first grade to the regency mysteries I love to curl up to these days, I have always enjoyed a good whodunnit. Yet, somehow, that doesn’t translate into life. I’m not a fan of life holding mystery.ContinueContinue reading “Hidden Messages: Mystery and Wonder”
A Thrill of Hope: The Weary World
We feel the weariness of the world. Too many people are weary from war, death, and homelessness. Too many families are weary from grief, illness, and conflict. Too many of us are weary from lack, loneliness, and stresses that seem relentless. Weariness can lead to despair – to a hopelessness that tempts us to giveContinueContinue reading “A Thrill of Hope: The Weary World”
A Thrill of Hope: O Holy Night
Twenty years in my Oklahoma church established within me a love for tradition. In particular, as each Christmas Eve approached, I’d anticipate with great joy our soloist’s offering of “O Holy Night.” Somehow when this song crescendoed its way from “the stars are brightly shining” to “fall on your knees” to the triumphant “O nightContinueContinue reading “A Thrill of Hope: O Holy Night”
Reigniting Hope: Louder Than Unbelief
You may know by now that I am a word nerd. I’m the one who actually enjoyed my sentence diagramming class at Sam Houston State University. Yes! There is a class on sentence diagramming. LOL. I took it and even dabbled in leading my English students through a basic level of it. Not to tortureContinueContinue reading “Reigniting Hope: Louder Than Unbelief”
God With Us: Goodness
So much fills our senses this time of year. Baubles on trees. Music jingle-jangling through every speaker. And stories of all sizes and skill-sets. From tall tales told by uncles around the table to the newest holiday book on display at the store, from romances set in Pinterest-styled living rooms to bedtime dramas about flyingContinueContinue reading “God With Us: Goodness”
True Belonging: Heirlooms
Among other possible titles, I dubbed 2020 “The Summer of Moves” — my parents moved to a retirement community, my sons to an apartment, my husband and I to a new state. Boxes, packing paper, and tape ruled our evenings and weekends for months. One box slipped into the fray that I didn’t open tillContinueContinue reading “True Belonging: Heirlooms”
Journey of Joy: Week Fifteen — Homecoming
I love that you’ve stayed my faithful travel companion for nearly four months, exploring joy from many facets and at every phase of desiring, seeking, and living it. We’ve immersed ourselves in Scripture and story and self-discovery to unearth everything about God, joy, and ourselves so that we can learn to embrace and exude aContinueContinue reading “Journey of Joy: Week Fifteen — Homecoming”