This is the time of year my spirit starts anticipating the gathering of believers known as the New Room Conference. Every year for three days in September church leaders from around the world gather in one space to worship, pray, and take-in the love of Christ. It’s a place of humility and surrender as weContinue reading “Abide: In the Social”
Tag Archives: Abide
Abide: Planting Our Feet
Hunkered down in our windowless hallway, we listened to the battery-powered radio. News updates crackled as the howling wind forced the rain through the seams of our front windows. Hurricane Alicia threw her bolts of lightning down on Houston, flooding streets and pounding fifty year old trees to near death. I hid in the hallContinue reading “Abide: Planting Our Feet”
Abide: In the Spiritual
I pushed toward the plane, whose roaring engines made it impossible to say a word to either of my sons. With a death grip on my two-year-old, I felt my determination to be strong slip a bit as I re-shifted the heavy car-seat in my other hand. A quick glance told me my six-year-old walkedContinue reading “Abide: In the Spiritual”
Abide: Righting Our Hearts
Last weekend I bought a new decorative tray for my living room. The minute I walked in with it, I went straight to the ottoman and replaced the old tray with the new one. I do the same thing with other purchases. Sack in hand, I head to the closet and rip off the oldContinue reading “Abide: Righting Our Hearts”
Abide: In the Emotional
During my senior year of high school, I seriously worried that no guy would want to marry me because I was such a moody mess. I cried over the smallest things. My temper flared with regularity. And, my feelings could do a ‘180’ in the time it took to walk from my bedroom to theContinue reading “Abide: In the Emotional”
Abide: Protecting Our Minds
There’s a reason mothers lose their cool when their kids choose not to wear their bike helmets for their long ride to school–because moms know that if the brain inside that pretty little head is damaged, the whole person is too. Priscilla Shirer, in her Bible study, The Armor of God, draws a beautiful analogyContinue reading “Abide: Protecting Our Minds”
Abide: In the Mental
One glance at the clock and I know we need to hustle to get out the door, so I holler over to my three year old at the kitchen table, “Hey, bud! Put your bowl in the sink then go put your shoes on. It’s time to go!” “Okay, Momma!” And off I go toContinue reading “Abide: In the Mental”
Abide: Looking Inside
“I know what it’s like to live a divided life.” With these words, Rich Villodas opens the fifth chapter of his book, The Deeply Formed Life (p.88). I read them the night I finished a draft of last week’s post–the one where I wrestled to put into words the ways our bodies play a roleContinue reading “Abide: Looking Inside”
Abide: In the Physical
For as long as I can remember, I have walked into rooms to do something, only to forget why I’m there. One way to jog my memory is to walk back to the room I just came from to look for clues about my quest. More recently, however, I’ve become aware of my body inContinue reading “Abide: In the Physical”
Abide: Practices and Prayer
For years I poured myself into dance. By middle school, I was at the studio four nights a week, learning and rehearsing. Each goal I set for myself pushed me to work harder, and it paid off. My last performance with that dance company, a ballet solo, reflected all the hours and years of practice.Continue reading “Abide: Practices and Prayer”