O God of such great grace that chased this planting wife down when she was far from You,
You’ve called her into Your kingdom and out to Your mission, knowing every bump in her road intimately, never asking her to walk alone.
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Author: kassieprather
God Moves in a Mysterious Way
It used to bug me that I couldn’t wrap my mind around God’s mind. Now it’s one of the most comforting and hope-filled facts of my existence. Why?
Imagine a toddler who can fully comprehend everything her parents think, a tiny child with adult understanding. Not only does she realize she can’t have cookies for breakfast; it’s also clear to her what role nutrition plays in each level of her physical and cognitive development, which ingredients make up the cookies in question, and how to cook a gourmet version of the much more practical option of oatmeal.
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Scripture Aesthetics: Mary and Martha
An amazing story waits for women in Luke 10. Two sisters with very different heart orientations host Jesus in their home, and despite His guest status, He ends up tending to both of their souls in a way that only the Great Home Maker could. Here’s my creative take on what these famous sisters might have been like.
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Mourning and Dancing in Ministry Life
(This post was originally published on the Baptist Convention of New England’s blog on November 7, 2019. You can find it here.)
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4)
One thing very few people prioritize when preparing to enter the realm of full-time service is the necessity of emotional engagement. Many ministers consider solid theology and practical know-how the two mighty pillars on which a lifetime of shepherding can be built, but without a practical theology of suffering and celebration, a pastor (and his family) can easily crumble from the inside out.
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A Few of My Favorite Things
When October swishes out of town with her black mask of sequins and feathers, November bustles in bedecked in an apron and armed with a giant crock of soup. She gathers community hearthside, eyes shining at the joys to be doubled and the sorrows to be halved throughout the greying days ahead. Claim a soft blanket, grab your marshmallow roasters, and cozy on up.
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How to Be (Spiritually) Single
He heaves a sigh and rolls his eyes—again—as you pray over dinner. The church doors open, and you step in alone. Hearing about how other couples read their Bibles together over coffee makes you tear up.
Spiritual singleness is a painful reality for many wives. Could God have a plan even for this? How might you use your situation for the best?
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Pitching a Fit with God
King David was a drama queen.
You’ve probably not been taught so in Sunday school, but it’s true. This giant of the faith didn’t seem to worry much about controlling his emotions with God. (Does anybody else break out in soul hives at that thought?) He bawled and screamed and begged and stomped and pointed that finger upwards accusingly, right in God’s face.
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In Returning and Rest
She was never alone—the questions kept her constant company.
You know those questions that latch onto you and refuse to let go? The ones that, despite their simplicity, bump around in your brain during the early hours or while you’re in the carpool line?
For the past year, I’ve been haunted by this ponderance: what does it mean to just sit and be loved by God?
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The Merciful Wooing of God
(This post was originally published on the Baptist Convention of New England’s blog on October 16, 2019. You can find it here.)
Women have longed for romance since the beginning of time. (Small wonder: the first words spoken to us from human lips were lyrics of a love song.) Something deep in us thrills at the chase, whether it’s being pursued or being the pursuer.
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John 2 Wrap-Up
As a kid, I loved Mowgli’s adventures with the monkeys of Angkor Wat. Those ruins seemed so exotic, almost magical. Now I consider the piles of Cambodian rubble beautifully tragic: a previously thriving place of worship has crumbled, and all that’s left is an impressive shadow of its former glory. Sure, it draws tourists, but its original purpose is no longer being fulfilled. John 2 takes us from Cana to Jerusalem. While the wedding shows off the abundant exuberance ushered in with Christ’s new messianic age, the temple reveals that His people are being crippled by a religious system that spiritually resembles Mowgli’s decaying playground.
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