dropping the rope
There are days when words just don’t come. I’ve had a string of about twenty-one of them. That nagging feeling of “I should write” playing tug-o-war with the futility of “I have nothing to say”—a constant pulling back and forth that most recently seems to end with me back in bed, covers askew and cats aplenty as I burrow deeper under both. I do not like the constant pulling and tugging—the relentless tension in the line, the way each side digs in their feet and sets their weight in opposition to the other, the rope burns on my hands. I despise the taunting and...
Read Moreof truth and tattoos
It’s no secret flying is not one of my favorite things. The turbulence (aka: falling straight out of the sky a little bit at a time), the ear-popping (as if my head didn’t ALREADY HURT), the joy of feeling the plane sway from side to side as the pilot is attempting to land (did you know more than 80% of crashes occur during the first three minutes of takeoff, or the last eight minutes before landing?), and don’t even get me STARTED on the germ factor (did you ALSO know I am 100% likely to get the flu or a sinus infection within 24-48 hours of having ridden on a plane? True...
Read Moreit’s about time
Timing is everything. I sat down this past Monday with one of my best friends to finally listen to a Beth Moore series I intended to listen to, oh, about *cough* six months ago, and was reminded, yet again, of this small but irrefutable fact. Timing. Is. Everything. I have alluded to the beginning of this year having been rough—physically, logistically, financially, parentally, maritally, professionally, creatively, emotionally, spiritually. Rough. What I’ve not shared—for a number of reasons—is how a rough winter went into a difficult spring then lapsed into a challenging...
Read Moremore than ideas or sentiment
The morning of June 13th dawned early—much too early. But it wasn’t just the hour that came too quickly—though that certainly was a factor, as we were bone-weary tired from seven jam-packed days of sweating and service. It was more that the week, which had once stretched out before us full of hope and promise, was now drawing to a close and within hours we would lift off from this land that had become dear to us, not knowing when we might return. We came to breakfast tired. Hungry. Heavy-hearted. Reluctant to leave. And as we did every morning...
Read Morebecoming a better me: enjoy
We are rounding the corner into the home stretch now, Friends! Our focus for the beginning of this New Year has been on “Becoming a (Biblically) BETTER Me,” and we are down to our last two points to consider. But before we forge ahead, let’s review what we’ve learned so far. We are over halfway through our acronym, now, and so far have discussed our need to: Begin by breaking the power of inertia Embrace the work of Grace Trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty Turn from that which is sinful toward God This week? This week, friends, we learn to Enjoy. Did you hear...
Read Morebecoming a better me: turn
Here we are in the first full week of February, Friends, and the fourth week of our quest to Become a Better Me! Did you know: 40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year? Among the top New Year’s resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke? Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management and debt reduction. That 25% of resolutions don’t make it past the first week, 29% past two weeks, 36% past the first month, and 54% past six? While a lot of people who make New...
Read Moretransformative trust
(This post is dedicated with my deepest sympathy and hope to Nicolle Bompart of Eyes Wide Open International) If you know me well, or if you’ve spent any time at all on my couch, you’ve heard me mention, at least once, Hannah Hurnard’s spiritual allegory, Hind’s Feet on High Places. On my Top Five Books of All Time list, its impact on my life, and on many others who have read it, has been profound. (You can read more about my own experience with “Much Afraid” here.) Hind’s Feet on High Places tells the story of little Much Afraid, a crippled and disfigured young...
Read Moreword of the day: trust
trust n. To have or place reliance; depend; Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing. To be confident; hope. To have or place confidence in; depend on Reliance on something in the future; hope. To expect with assurance; assume: I trust that you will be on time. To believe: I trust what you say. To place in the care of another; entrust. The condition and resulting obligation of having confidence placed in one To grant discretion to confidently: Can I trust them with the boat? To extend credit to. trust n. Synonyms: trust, faith, confidence,...
Read Moregarbage for riches: embracing grace
We’ve all felt it—that horrible sinking feeling in our center paired with the self-protective urge to run, to cover, to hide. When we’ve made a horrible mistake. When we’ve said something we shouldn’t have. When we’ve come up against our brokenness. When we’re faced with the consequences of our sin. We’ve all experienced SHAME. But we don’t all know its antidote. We try to fix it. We try to fix US. We try to cover up, to shape up, to give up. We redouble our efforts. And we rack up a hefty column of failures. ...
Read Moreyou tell me… what is grace?
What is GRACE? Unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification The freely given, unmerited favor and love of god. The influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them. A virtue or excellence of divine origin. Also called state of grace; the condition of being in God’s favor or one of the elect. How would you define GRACE? How do you experience it in your own life? In what areas of your life do you find yourself wishing or longing for more...
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