She glanced in his direction, but her eyes slid easily over his form and moved away to someone else. Through the course of the evening, she conversed with every single person... except him. She laughed at their jokes, offered warm encouragement, and posed thoughtful questions to all the guests but one. Have you ever been... Continue Reading →
He's not good. He's not kind. He's not present. Justice and mercy are far from his ways. This is a god I created, and he's a god worth hating. Don't get me wrong: I didn't set out to form my own version of God intentionally. It just sort of happened. A subtle lie swallowed here... Continue Reading →
And He said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15) Analyzing the speech of most believers, you'll find a strange device on our tongues: Christianese. We sound like we're stuck in the King James version of reality, trying to make the world around us understand... Continue Reading →
Aquariums creep me out. You go look at a bunch of water animals as they either stare back all glassy-eyed or hide nervously, one curious toddler away from an aquatic psychotic breakdown. The plaques are cool, though. You can take your time and learn more about what lurks in your local lakes than you ever,... Continue Reading →
August is the best. It's the perfect reason to splurge on a final beach trip, the double scoop of ice cream with sprinkles, and an evening chasing fireflies. August smells like sunscreen and stargazing. As we squeeze the last sweet drops out of this glory-stuffed summer, may the God who delights in our delight open... Continue Reading →
(This post was originally published on the LifeWay Pastors' blog on July 18, 2018. You can find it here.) The days leading up to our church planting journey are a golden haze in my memory. As soon as we experienced the first missional pull six years ago, my husband and I consumed absurd quantities of... Continue Reading →
Fiercely protective. Unflinching. Gentle and compassionate. Impressive. Utterly good in every aspect. Reliable. Simultaneously strong and beautiful. Victorious. Completely just. Active. Holy. Enduring. Determined to rescue. Merciful. Avenging. Creative. Adventurous. Full of wisdom. Sheltering. Surprising. Unchanging. Absurdly generous. Sovereign. Faultless. Matchless. Relentless. The One who's been planning the ultimate destruction of evil since before time... Continue Reading →
If you've never seen me operate a tractor, you've missed out—not because I'm some kind of mechanical savant, but because it's hilarious watching me try to figure out what the heck a clutch is meant for, even after having it explained to me twenty times. I can safely say I did not miss my calling... Continue Reading →
You know those "Hello, my name is ____________" tags you stick to your shirt, forget to take off, and find in shreds days later all over the washing machine? (That never happens to you? Oh. Cool. Me either.) We fill those out for ourselves as we navigate life in the dust—not with names but with... Continue Reading →
Being called a control freak doesn't hurt so much if you're not one. Oh, but if you know your heart has struggled there for so stinking long, that label can mangle you. It becomes a second heartbeat, one with palpitations. Oh no! I've been found out! Red alert! And what does a control freak do... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 