One frigid March day, my husband and I sat in our canoe in the middle of a lake in Missouri. Our lines had been in the water for well over an hour, and we’d had only one bite. The bite belonged to my husband, of course. An avid fisherman, Joe is used to pulling in…
As Christmas approaches, I’m excited about the joy and festivity involved in the season. I love the holiday cheer and time with family, but I also feel the pull toward busyness. Christmas is coming; I must do all the things! Where does this urge to make Christmas big, lavish, and packed-to-the-gills with merriment come from?…
Christmas is the holiday for which we all know we should celebrate the “real meaning,” but many of us struggle to know how. The culture does a fabulous job of giving us ideas on how to make it more magical and fun. The culture also gives us full instructions on how we can spend more…
Have you ever felt certain of something only to have that certainty completely overturned? If you want to make God laugh, the saying goes, just tell him your plans. This is a frequent story in Scripture. Moses knows he will live out his days as a shepherd in the hills of Midian—until he spots a…
Some days I just want to get away all by myself. My fantasy getaway is either a cute cabin with a scenic view of beautiful trees and a lake, or a simple cottage on a beach where I can watch crashing waves and stunning sunsets. Although it’s nice to dream, these scenarios are unlikely to…
I am exhausted from the weight of the world’s expectations, and from the effort of standing up under them. From stamping down the constant noise, the clamoring, the consistent hum of anxiety vibrating through my very soul on a daily basis. It’s so much. It’s too much. It’s pervasive. And some days, I feel physically…