Hey, church planter's wife, with a load of laundry going in the basement and a tiny but real church in your living room—I see you. You with the little ones who are trying to figure out whether they're going to school or church today as you pull into the elementary parking lot to set up... Continue Reading →
Summertime in the country: my little brother and I would bump along down our circle driveway, bikes not absorbing much shock at all from the big chunks of gravel and asphalt. When we'd reach the bottom of the hill, our bikes would (hopefully) hit the homemade ramps straight-on, and we'd get the most epic air... Continue Reading →
There's nothing quite like realizing you've forgotten to pack clean undies when you're away from home and nowhere near a store. Any time a trip comes up, I start getting neurotic. What will I really need? What am I forgetting? Do I have what matters most? This is when it's great to have a packing... Continue Reading →
August is the last hurrah of summer, filled with lazy days at the lake, melty ice cream cones, and water balloon fights around the sprinkler. Load up a picnic basket with fresh treats. Hike through the woods. Pitch a tent in the backyard. Perfect your cannonball form. What have you penciled in to celebrate this... Continue Reading →
See: Soft floral linens being lifted and spread over a comfortable mattress in the corner; whitewashed wooden planks underfoot; the dying evening light filtered through palm trees and wavy-glass windowpanes; a bouquet of greenery spilling over onto the counter; flickering shadows cast by a cheerful fire; candles and lanterns strategically placed throughout the loft; books... Continue Reading →
Do you find ambiguity frustrating? As a 1 on the Enneagram, I enjoy some good old-fashioned dichotomies: the solid world of black-and-white truth. Sometimes life doesn't allow for that, but if you gather up the bunches of Scripture that pertain to a girl who trusts God, you'll discover there's a pleasant clarity about what kind... Continue Reading →
We serve a good God, and I'm constantly finding new favorite things about Him. One such example is His habit of building reminders into the culture of His people. He knew we have terribly short memory spans, and His compassion toward us prompted an insistence on visuals that would bring us back to truth. There's... Continue Reading →
In a time and place where people are divided by a million things—Democrat or Republican, black or white, fries or tots—it's good to remember what we share in common. As humans, we cherish secret hopes. We revolve around a unique set of values. We long deeply for love. And most of us have daddy issues.... Continue Reading →
It's time for another seasonal field trip! On your next free day or weekend, grab some sunscreen and a girlfriend or two and hit the road. Extra points for old school film, but phones work just fine. I know there's a temptation to post every shot you take; consider keeping this just for you. Having... Continue Reading →
If I could transport myself to any fictional event, Bilbo's birthday party would be high up on my wish list. The lights, the dancing, the food, the fireworks, and the one-of-a-kind speech. Hobbits know how to have a good time, and festival atmospheres characterize their rhythm of life. Jokes fill the air. Typically grumpy elders... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 