Followers of Jesus are called to grapple with the surrendering of our rights, even our right to be right, in our pursuit of authentic, sacrificial love. As we journey with Jesus, we find ourselves caught in a divine conundrum that defies the norms of a world steeped in self-preservation and assertiveness. This conundrum is an…
In the cool light of dawn, the beach awakens, a grand orchestra brought to life by the rising sun. My young ones, vibrant souls of pure wonder, dive into their play, embodying the boisterous laughter of life’s dance. The joyful bark of our two dogs, chasing unseen dreams, fills the air, punctuating the symphony of…
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Those words echo in every believer’s mind, illuminating a promise and a challenge. The closer we move toward God, the more He reveals Himself to us. The book of Jeremiah tells us, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with…
My breath was shortened and the two hairy pillars of reliability I’ve come to depend upon were starting to protest the choices of the day. Glancing down at my wrist, twenty-eight thousand steps stared back at me. Why did I think helping our kids clean their rooms was a good idea? The light of day…
The lights are up. December 12th and we’ve made good on a promise. The kids have been asking about the decorations since October. We barely made it. Something the books don’t tell you, choosing to parent a child means opting into a relationship that will always aim to hold you accountable. Parenting is sometimes staring…
(Written November 30th, 2013) I once heard footsteps. At least four of them. The days and months and years that follow losing a pregnancy fade to a dim soundtrack playing on repeat behind a closed door in a forgotten room on the far side of the house. Pain and love should propel all of us…
I run up the stairs, I run down the stairs, I run up the stairs… I’m really beginning to 2nd guess our decision to purchase this two-story fixer-upper. At the very least I am heavily considering moving the baby’s room to the middle of the living room… perhaps to the middle of the garage. I…
Next week Summer unofficially slides through open screen doors, reintroducing us to traditions left on pause. The call to arms as kids reluctantly begin the process of lathering up their skin with SPF promises of protection, their eyes set on attacking the sprinklers and diving into deep ends. All of this, initiated on a day…
Creation whispers a certainty we as inhabitants often take for granted; life progresses in seasons. I remember a few months ago looking out at the trees that line our backyard. A winter grey wasteland, absent of any sign of life, mocking the hopes of warmer dreams. The bitter sting of those seemingly endless days defining…
Depending on perspective, the lens through which all of us have processed this past year deeply impacted our ability to find common ground. We found ourselves in isolation for days, weeks, months on end. Our only connection to one another often a filtered interpretation of social media feeds, Tiger Kings and death by Zoom. A…