Ending 2023 felt chaotic, at least it did on social media. All the posts talking about ending the year well and starting the new year fast and hard. The big energy, goals, expectations–it was all too much. Because what we all know, but have a hard time actually believing, is that bigger and more is… Read More ENTERING A NEW YEAR
It’s that time of year again…when Christians post (angry) messages about stores employees wishing them, “Happy Holidays.” (The nerve!) I refuse to be offended by this greeting or salutation. You can justify your anger by saying the world is taking “Christ” out of Christmas; I will counter by saying that that has never been the… Read More HAPPY HOLIDAYS
This season is heavy with expectation, full of adjectives like holly and jolly, merry and bright. It is, after all, the “most wonderful time of the year.” We gather loved ones and break bread around tables of abundance, exchanging gifts and hugs. We sing and celebrate and give thanks. The significance of the season, indeed… Read More ‘TIS THE SEASON
I oscillate between a myriad of emotions on any given day. I know there is so much good happening, people quietly serving and loving, but it seems that the ugly, destructive and downright appalling get center stage and prime time. And maybe I’m just slow to recognize, but I’m noticing more and more that the… Read More DISSAPPOINTMENT & OTHER EMOTIONS
I’ve been listening more these days. Really listening. The shallow God and Jesus answers I learned in Sunday School are no longer given in response to the very real struggles of others. The religion of love that I white-knuckled for so long has shown it’s ugly truth. The rules and expectations cloaked as protection for… Read More I DON’T KNOW
Morgan Harper Nichols, (MHN piece shown above), is one of my favorite Instagram follows. She is a poet and artist, and even though her poems are written for specific people, going through specific circumstances, her words tend to ring true for the masses. I guess that’s what truth does. It touches the real, the raw,… Read More A LITTLE REMINDER
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:14 (NASB) Admittedly, this verse is not the most comforting or uplifting. It’s probably not found scrolled in beautifully handwritten calligraphy on a piece of old barn wood and hung for inspiration. And,… Read More THE STRAIT & NARROW
You belong here has become a common slogan for many American evangelical churches. The message of the gospel is for every person–every member of every tongue, tribe and nation. Perhaps it is with this truth in mind that many churches have adopted a phrase that boasts of inclusion for all. However, most churches are not… Read More YOU BELONG HERE: A WELL-MEANING, YET OFTEN UNKIND & UNTRUE SENTIMENT
We have never lived particularly close to family, and growing up we would regularly load up the car and drive across the country to visit grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Even now it’s not unusual for us to put several thousand miles on a vehicle each year just to see loved ones. No matter how… Read More THE LONG WAY
I used to fear the word no. And, to be sure, it is still a hard word for me to both hear and say. It often feels harsh and unfeeling, but what I have come to learn is that it is also often a kindness expressed and a relief to speak. A no carries disappointment… Read More I USED TO