I’ve written before about the difficulty of receiving God’s blessings freely and with gratitude. I still wrestle with this, especially on days when I read the news. While so many people in the world are suffering, why is it that I am blessed with a comfortable home, a loving marriage, the children I dreamed of,…
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Heb. 1:3 CSB) I know I have read this verse before. Hebrews is one of my favorite books in the Bible. But when I read it the other day, it felt new. I…
I am an oldest child. I am a planner and a goal-setter. I have big dreams and plans, and I know exactly how I am going to get there. Then came the drought of 2021. The average rainfall on our North Dakota farm during the growing season is eighteen inches. This year we have had…
A few months ago, I found myself alone on a plane to Minneapolis. I selected a 7 p.m. flight, which was surprisingly full. An odd combination of strong-smelling foods surrounded me. People in different rows spoke way too loudly, considering the private nature of their conversations, and there was a child who spent much of…
It should be crystal clear by now that what I propose in this book is not my natural disposition. Please don’t think this stuff comes easy for me. I’m no kindness poster child. I’d much rather slap Mister Rogers or Mother Teresa on any billboard to represent the simple difference. My likeness is quick to…
I grew up in a traditional Bible Belt church in Texas. The church—and when I say “church,” I mean the people not the building—was instrumental in solidifying my faith. There were many sermons about how to share our faith with others, but this topic always felt scary to me. What if I didn’t get the…