We're about to enter the season of practicing gratitude for what we have and those we love. It's a time for considering others as more important than ourselves, remembering that it's still more blessed to give than to receive. Shall we inaugurate this change of weather and thought with a little outward-focused contemplation? Our adventure... Continue Reading →
Fall is a beautiful time to dream big, try big, and even fail big. I just finished up a free online art class that included some ways to view the world creatively. The instructor suggested taking walks in nature, paying attention to the different kinds of light you'll encounter: filtered through changing leaves, dappling the... Continue Reading →
Once upon an autumn, there lived a forest. Though the trees were lovely to look at, their dislike for one another made their hearts ugly and filled the sky with a dreadful noise. (Of course, you couldn't hear their bickering; when people walked through the forest, those trees held their breath and were the quietest... Continue Reading →
"When you work, Jesus rests. When you rest, Jesus works." Jack Frost A clean house. Zero responsibilities. No drama. Remember the part in How the Grinch Stole Christmas where his "small heart grew three sizes that day?" That's how I felt during my first ever personal retreat earlier this week. I'll give you a rundown... Continue Reading →
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4) Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. (Psalm 47:1) Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. (Ecclesiastes 9:7) I was reading my... Continue Reading →
Liar, liar, pants on fire! (Some random line about a telephone wire...) Kids chant about obvious falsehood, tiny truth radars built into their DNA. They can often spot a lack of genuine character a mile away. Sadly, though, we grow out of our ability to quickly spot lies around us, and nowhere is the resulting... Continue Reading →
I was born with a desperate need for perfection. I hate having to admit I was wrong about anything; as I'm wrong fairly often, it's a vicious way to live. The most constructive criticism or even the softest suggestion tears away at my ego, hinting that I should have known better, should have chosen better... Continue Reading →
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." Ann(e) Shirley Everyone plays favorites: coffee flavors, scary books, autumn smells, whatever. We all hold certain bits of reality closer because something about them affirms truth to us. Tiny pieces of beauty in a world gone crazy, vestiges of hope, reminders of our... Continue Reading →
We serve a King whose heart is for the nations. Even in the Old Testament, in the middle of His ache to rescue His own distracted people, God's eyes are across the water. According to Isaiah 49:6, "He says, 'It is too small a thing that you should be My servant to raise up the... Continue Reading →
Leaves begin their ever-startling transformation, pumpkin spice everything makes its way to shop shelves, and kids flock back to their classrooms. As we wrap up this unseasonably warm September, let's revisit Ms. Proverbs 31 in her own context: self. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. (v 17) Strength and dignity are... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 