We set off, my family and I, into the high desert. Unfamiliar territory, it was marked by slot canyons and stark terrain. We were mountain hikers, more accustomed to treading over soft, tree-lined paths than through stony expanses. Trailhead signs warned that heat kills, admonishing all who dared pass to carry two liters of water….
I was a terrible gift-giver. “Receiving” was not easy for me. Birthdays and anniversaries would sneak up on me, and choosing gifts for my own family at Christmas time threw me into an anxious whirlwind. I have a friend who is a natural gift giver. “How do you do it?” I asked. “I feel like…
My attendance was routine. My allegiance was unwavering. Everything was functioning just as it should–until it wasn’t. I slowly started dismantling. For as far back as I can remember, church played a significant role in my life. If the doors were open, my family was somewhere inside, so it should come as no surprise that…
“God, how is this fair? I don’t get it!” I was so upset over the news I’d received that I couldn’t even tell my family for several hours. My dream of a writing opportunity that seemed to align with my ministry vision ended with an “I wish I had better news for you” letter. The…
Worry, fear, and anxiety welled up within me. Every facet of our lives felt like it was under attack. Have you ever been there? Overwhelmed with anxiety-provoking chaos, and feeling utterly helpless to control it? The temptation to surrender to fear is strong. The thing was, I had talked to patient after patient for years…
Far too often, urgency burns within me to get my own way. Just call me a strong-willed gal, but ‘oy, what an inner tussle this causes! In His goodness, however, my Father shows me a better way to live. God refines through the way of suffering. Raise your hand if you like suffering. No? Me…