I used to think that when I prayed for God to give me strength in my weakness that He would somehow infuse me with a kind of strength magic, and I would feel my spiritual muscles cartoonishly growing, like Popeye after eating a can of spinach. Now I know. I know that when I pray…
You Have a Right to be Here
“The world could be fixed of its problems if every child understood the necessity of their existence.” Dwight D. Eisenhower Every single person on this planet has a right to be here. If you are alive, you have the right. If you are breathing, the right. If you have a pulse, you have that right….
No Clue
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer…
A Song of Advent
Advent – The juxtaposition of the longing of the ancients with the unforeseen coming of our Christ. Longing for home. Sick. Eager. Expectant. Fighting nagging feelings that once again things are not as they ought. Restless souls, Weary travelers. Parched and perplexed. Sick and tired of waiting – For our luck to change. For our…
Jesus Isn’t Toothpaste
I grew up afraid to fail. Therefore, I grew up afraid of trying anything new. Afraid of what others would think of me. Afraid of the whispers behind closed doors. Afraid. Afraid. Always Afraid. Fast forward to adulthood. I got pretty good at covering up all that fear and doing everything right. I hid behind…
Olive
You know things are getting sad and desperate when you start writing about your cat. For all you cat haters out there, I apologize. Bear with me. First let me just say that I am a dog person, through and through. I have always hated cats since I was a kid. Well, I wanted to…
Throw Me a Frickin’ Bone Here
In my previous post, I referenced the rich young ruler and his interaction with Jesus. Today I want to contrast that scenario with another we find in the gospels and one of my personal favorite stories: the faith of the Canaanite woman. But first, a little history. Because I love history. We find this story…
Prepare to Be Assimilated
As Christians we talk about the love of God, how it’s so amazing and wonderful and unlike any human love we have ever experienced. We are drawn in as unbelievers with stories of God’s unchanging, limitless love; how crazy He is about us. We hear, “Come as you are,” but then when we do come,…
Some Thoughts on Hope
I used to think that hope was based on circumstances. One day the tide will turn. My prince will come. My luck will change. Superman will arrive. I’ll win the golden ticket. It’s all in the luck of the draw. But this mentality puts you in a passive, codependent role, helplessly waiting for your moment…
It’s Been a Year
Dear Lauren, It’s been a year since you left this world, and we miss you still the same. Our hearts ache when we long to pick up the phone and hear your voice on the other end. It’s been a year of holidays, birthdays, and special days without you to celebrate them. Life has proven…