As we start to gain a bit of traction in this new year, a trend keeps popping up online: choosing a word for the year. This idea isn't new, but has become more prevalent lately. The exercise of finding your word is meant to guide you; to keep you focused on your goals. In the … Continue reading Jesus First
Faith
You Never Know
Here we are in 2025. Are you as surprised as I am? And truthfully, are you afraid of what’s coming our way in this next year? The dawning of a new year used to bring hope. Determination to do better. Plans to make it our best year yet. But ever since Covid-19 upended the world, … Continue reading You Never Know
The Line Between
We know the story, don't we? An innocent peasant girl, a heroic fiance, and angel visitations. Peculiar starlight. We hold our children close, paging through brightly colored storybooks, reminding them of the miracle of the baby in the manger. “Silent night, holy night”, we sing, clutching candles in the dark. Its a beautiful story. A … Continue reading The Line Between
We Thank You, Lord
For peace that keeps our hearts soft in a raging world; for ferns unfurling in the forest damp; for a glance and smile across the aisle, we thank you, Lord. For comfort that strengthens us in the face of fear; for ancient words that nestle deep; for moonlight’s caress in midnight hours, we thank you, … Continue reading We Thank You, Lord
A New Word
“I have a word for you,” my sister said. We carry the DNA of our vocabulary-loving father, who enjoyed puzzling us with unusual words as we gathered around the dinner table growing up. His influence was strong. The word she shared was “marcescence”, and it describes a tree’s leaves that cling to the branches, dead, … Continue reading A New Word
Election Season
Our presidential election is finally here for those of us who are United States citizens. To say that this election season has been ugly would be a vast understatement. As I considered how to cast my vote, I was struck by how seriously many of us take it. Any one vote won’t decide who will … Continue reading Election Season
What to Wear
I have one sibling, a sister five years older than me. All of my life, I've looked up to her fashion choices. She chose a financial career in the city that required a fashionable wardrobe, while I mothered in a small mountain village in tee shirts and jeans. So whenever I had an event that … Continue reading What to Wear
Prayer Requests
We lean across the table, straining to hear each other. "What are your prayer requests?" the leader asks, pen poised above her notebook. We speak hesitantly into the holiness of being heard. A hurting relative. A wayward child. Relational struggles. Fears. Change. Outside, we manage. We persevere. But here, around this table, our vulnerability weaves … Continue reading Prayer Requests
Exposed to Hope
Here’s an article I wrote for Gospel-Centered Discipleship. I hope it blesses you. https://gcdiscipleship.com/article-feed/exposed-to-hope-the-evangelism-of-welcome
Choices and Limitations
“He’s 3, with 32 years of experience” is how I describe my son Ben these days. Still stymied by tic-tac-toe and overjoyed by a jar of peanut butter, yet he's got over three decades of living under his belt. Last winter we took a long car ride, spent a night in a hotel and took … Continue reading Choices and Limitations
A View of the Lake 