Scarcity and the Goodness of God

Scarcity and the Goodness of God

I shifted back and forth in the line at the ice cream shop. As I stood with my college friends my mind raced with desire. Which size is big enough, but doesn’t look too big? Can I get two scoops? How long will mine last? I remember devouring the ice cream at the...

Waiting in Line at the UPS Store

Waiting in Line at the UPS Store

The closer I got to the building, the more people I saw packed inside. Carefully I opened the door while balancing my boxes and pushed my way through the line that snaked itself throughout the room. I took my place at the back with my parcels. In front of me, in...

I Can’t Put Them Down Yet

I Can’t Put Them Down Yet

I gently push my body to a standing position as guitars strum out the first measures of the song. My eyes dart to the words projected above while the melody of a familiar hymn whirls past my ears. I look towards the floor and gently cup my hands around the midsection...

Favorite Books of 2022

Favorite Books of 2022

I'm squeaking in with a quick post of some of my favorite reads this year. I know you can find these lists everywhere, so I'm only going to highlight a few. Favorite Non-fiction Christian: Rembrandt is in the Wind by Russ Ramsey I loved this book. It was beautifully...

My Anchor Holds

My Anchor Holds

Waves crashed against the steel hull. Winds whipped around as the frame of the ship lurched back and forth. A rusty chain stretched from the aft side of the vessel and disappeared below the foaming waters. Yet as the rain pelted through the treacherous night—the anchor held.  

Can you picture the ship? Maybe you don’t need to imagine it. Maybe you’re living it. You wake up in the morning to salt spray in your face. The beating of the waves of difficulty feels merciless. Another day of physical pain, waiting, loneliness, or loss. Another day of storms where you wonder if your anchor will hold. Can you hold on to truth—to the goodness of the Lord in your suffering? 

Or perhaps you’re sailing on the open seas, but the memory of the storm stands close at hand. While peace surrounds you, the pain of the past isn’t forgotten, neither is the fear of what storms may be on the horizon. 

All I’ve Forgotten This Thanksgiving

All I’ve Forgotten This Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, I’m thanking the Lord for all I can’t remember.  I’m thanking him for each giggle of my child that’s slipped my memory. For each lego creation that paraded past my eyes only to be replaced in my mind by shopping lists. I’m thanking him for the...

When Our Faith Becomes Sight

When Our Faith Becomes Sight

Sometimes faith lies cloaked in darkness. We thrust out our hands, waving them in front of us, anxious to feel something, anything. The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever. It rings in our head, but we don’t see it. We don’t feel it today.  Sometimes we stumble...

Whose Day Is It?

Whose Day Is It?

Buzzing rings by the bedside as you chaotically swing your arm and search for the snooze. It’s a new day. What goes through your head? Maybe your to-do list that sits in your planner. Maybe the schedule of school, practices, or meetings fill up your mind as you plan your day. Even if you’re not the type who loves check-lists, it won’t take long before an informal list of tasks amasses in your brain of how you expect to spend your day. But it is only your day?

It’s far too easy for our focus each morning to fall and stay upon ourselves. In fact, it sneaks in between a whole lot of unselfish actions. After all, our to-do lists are mostly full of tasks we will do for others. Laundry to clean and fold that isn’t ours. Food to make for others. Bills to pay, toys to pick up, meetings to attend—all for the good of others. These tasks consume our small days, but they tend to keep the focus on our own little world. They are important, yet if we’re not careful we’ll miss out on something even more important in the midst of our small days.

Have You Looked In the Mirror?

Have You Looked In the Mirror?

Have you glanced in the mirror today? In our world, it’s almost impossible to avoid. We wake in the morning only to brush our teeth in the shadow of our image. While we fend off cavities and wash our hands we stand face to face with our future. A little older. A little grayer. A little more tired. 

We stare at the form in front of us, noticing the deepening laugh lines and creases, and the dark circles that formed after a fitful night of sleep. Each of these observations remind us of new tasks. We really need to sleep more. We need some better concealer. We should use sunscreen more. The list goes on and on. 

We can’t escape our reflection even as we leave our bathroom in the morning. A passing car door reveals our silhouette. How are my clothes fitting? My stomach is too big. Better suck it in. A glance at our face shining out from our cell phone or the small corner square in our video chat remind us to pay attention to what needs to be altered. Oh no, a stray hair. A piece of food. Does my face always look like that? I should smile more. We spend our days surrounded by our faces splashed back at us, constantly reminded of what to change and how to better ourselves.

Grief and the Goodness of God

Grief and the Goodness of God

“Why won’t you end this?” My heart cried out to God as I rocked my newborn against my chest. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought of all the doctor appointments, fevers, procedures, medicine, and pain I endured throughout the past few weeks. During the first few...

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