Advent, Day 1 The very first thing he gave us was light. The first words he spoke, his first recorded thoughts towards us, were poured into a black void. “Let there be light.” A quick read of the creation account shows he did not invent the sun, moon, and stars until the fourth day. So … Continue reading In the beginning
Lord, When I look at my brother with anger in my heart, when I mentally tear down my sister with comparison, when I rush past the lonely, "sorry, don't have time," let the words of my children glide past unheeded, when I judge the choices of my neighbor but never listen to her story, when … Continue reading Redeemed
Above our noise, our wailing, our fists clenched, our castle ruins, demands, commands, lies, revenge, ceaseless war, You hear each choking cry, receive our ragged requests laden with ignorance, collect our tears, look upon the wrecked world and do not turn away. We pray for You to lean down, strike, … Continue reading Above
Some of my best moments in the last week: I received a text thanking me for something I did, telling me what it meant, and encouraging me to continue serving. Talking on the phone with a colleague about a stressful situation, I found my frustration and weariness building until she abruptly asked if she could … Continue reading How to build hope
For all who long for peace . . . He himself is our peace. He stood for storms ceasing crowds hearing blind seeing dead rising stone-throwers surrendering their rage. He cried out for love for our enemies forgiveness as a habit hate to find hope a desperate people to hear there is a way. He … Continue reading For all who long for peace.
I have a friend who is literally living a miracle. Her story overflows with one impossibility after another, with a picture of such extravagant grace you can’t believe it until you see her for yourself and just know its true. She glows with it. Someday soon she will tell her story and it will change … Continue reading Your story, a gift
From John 8-9 In his dusty corner, he waits. He cannot see them, but he can hear them passing ceaselessly back and forth. He waits for one of them to stop. He waits for mercy in the form of coins, mercy that keeps him at a distance and lets them feel they have done their … Continue reading What to do about that mud on your face
(from 1 Peter 3) The scoffers come just as Peter said they would, and they keep coming and coming. “If your God is who He says He is, where is He now? Where is the promise of His coming?” And we wonder. God, why are You so slow to act? Peter knows this frustration. … Continue reading Slow
She could be bitter. She has every right to be. Much has been taken from her, much expected. She sometimes feels so little seen, so little known and valued in her small domain. She knows within her lives a power that she can use. She can rise up. She can be loud. She can make … Continue reading She
What if you stopped holding so hard to wholeness what if you stilled to the sundering like a beam of light bent scattering color like joy like a buried seed cracked bursting up to new life like a prized metal melted burnished in bright fire like a loaf of bread, broken and given, piece by … Continue reading Broken
View from the Valley 