Sometimes I think Satan gets way too much credit. Like he’s omnipresent or omniscient or something. I hear people say they’re “under attack”, especially when they try to do something for God. And I don’t completely buy it. The truth is, when God asks us to do something, saying yes is hard. Many times He’s asking […]
When You Dare to BE in Community :: (in)RL 2014
It’s a scary thing to drive an hour alone and knock on a complete stranger’s door. Because who knows what you’ll find, when you meet on the other side of a computer screen? Maybe there’ll be cat hair on the couch and toilets with rings all the way around? Or maybe an attitude of pretense, […]
How God Uses our Messy Muddy Life
The more I read, the more I see how the Scriptures paint a portrait of a God who sees. A God who knows even me. Especially me. And who uses my life to paint His glory. He who is good and kind, just and righteous, divine and man. Acquainted with suffering and intimate with grief. […]
In the Aftermath of a Mighty Storm, We are Changed
It was an ordinary Sunday afternoon. That is until the storm began. The storm that wasn’t in our Southern CA forecast–the spring flash storm we weren’t even expecting. The sun was shining with a brilliant blue sky. And then the clouds rolled in, announcing the beginning–blocking the sun, and darkening the sky. Then the wind […]
The Way to Get Joy {And a Reminder: You’re Not Guilty Anymore}
She stands on that gigantic stage and accentuates with her arms to punctuate her points. And you can hear a pin drop in the room because at the core of each one of us, we are aching for joy. And she explains how it is possible. No matter what you’re facing, as long as thanks […]
How to Really Become Big {The #BackwardsPrinciple}
Her tiny fingers wrap around mine, as I try to wipe all the vernix away. She cries as she lies on her mama’s chest, and I’m marked by her dependence before me. I see it everyday, and I’m in awe of how we’re born–the humble way a human being emerges into this world, looking down. […]
Love Runs Toward Another {To South Africa with Love}
To love is always to give a part of ourselves away. To reach out in hope that the one we’re reaching for in return will take us in and hold us tight. Love runs toward another. It is kind and patient. Never seeking self, but always reaching out in hope, to protect and trust and […]
When You Need to Know How to Read Through the Bible
It wasn’t until I was thirty-eight years old, that I read through the Bible for the very first time. Even though I grew up in the church, attended a private Christian university, and served as the wife of a pastor for several years. I can’t tell you how many years I spent, opening my Bible to Genesis […]
When You Want to Change a Life through Compassion
I visit their stories like they’re old friends, and I feel like I’m there. I cling to every word, and am moved by what I hear. Is it the writing that moves me? Or is there more? I read of struggles, and poor conditions, and circumstances beyond what I can imagine. How there’s work for […]
How to Ditch Your Apathy and Fight for Your Marriage
We didn’t really fight much. That’s the crazy part. Because if a marriage is unraveling, most people assume there’s fighting. And that’s exactly why it was such a shock to everyone when I confessed my affair. No. Fighting is not the indicator of marital disintegration. The real indicator is apathy… [Tweet that] And apathy happens […]