Embracing the Wait

I woke up thinking about the story of the Walls of Jericho, where the Lord tells Joshua to lead the Israelites in a seven-day march around the city. He begins by stating, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands..." and then instructs him how they were to march and how many times for each …

Love Lets Go

Hopping into my jeep after spending an hour with "the girls" at the nail salon, I quickly checked my phone for any missed calls or texts. Just one. "Mom, call me when you're done with your appointment." It was from my youngest daughter, Meg, who had recently moved back home after a semi-breakup with her …

The Lost Sheep

"The cross has taught me that God can redeem even the greatest suffering." Suffering ushers us into mercy, and mercy draws us into holiness, into greater intimacy with Christ.  I can't help but think of the parable in Luke 15. In it, the Shepherd leaves His flock of ninety-nine to find the one that is …

When Mothers Mourn

Hold her, Lord, when I can’tHold her when she won’t let meHold her when I can’t see her face in my mind’s eye or feel her presence in our once-shared melodiesHold her when I don’t recognize the little girl I once knewHold her when she can’t see the lightHold her when she makes deals with …

Incongruent Living

I know it’s not true, but somewhere deep within me, there grips a suffocating, provocative shame. It’s a stronghold. It’s visceral. It’s DNA stuff. And I can’t shake it. I can’t surrender it, off-load it enough times for her to jump ship—for her to shout audios, sayonara, arrivederci--spinning up a cloud of dust as she hightails it away. She is anything but dormant. She is unrelenting, operating in an urgent reckless manner, destroying anything and anyone in her path. Her agenda is destruction.

Looking Out; Looking in: Racism Within Me

I was nine years old the first time I had an inkling into my role where racism is concerned. In an all-white family, community, and school this seemed to have come out of left field. I don’t remember seeing anything in the news or on television that spurred this thought. In actuality, the only people …

Silent Screams

I’ve had this reoccurring nightmare for longer than I can remember; it haunts me on a fairly regular basis leaving me in an utter state of hopelessness that extends beyond my 5:30am alarm. I’ve tried to determine its triggers, interpret its meaning, as well as have tried to rewrite the narrative and change the course …

How to Hear God’s Voice

I hung up the phone and promptly fell into a heap, sobbing uncontrollably. Unable to catch my breath, my mind raced from one tragic event to the next, spiraling deeper into despair with each scene my memory recalled. Pinned down, dark eyes, unheard cries. Cold bathroom floor, double blue lines. Forever traumatized. Escape is what …

Hearing the Voice of God: A Candid Conversation

Hey there my sweet friend! This past week my mind has been absolutely chaotic; a whirlwind of thoughts, of prayers, of research, and everything in between--and though chaotic, the topic has been centered around one thing: hearing God's voice. It's a topic that comes up from time to time with those closest to us. It's something we …

Death by Good Intentions

To watch/listen to this post: In the aftermath of the trauma my daughter has experienced in losing her unborn baby girl late in pregnancy, I find myself trying to walk along side her the best way I know how and yet as I stare into her eyes I realize that sometimes my words fall flat …