When Life is Hard
Oriented
Rollercoasters and floods can prove disorienting. But there are things that can orient our hearts and speak truth when we don’t have eyes to see it.
Glamping, Storms and Promises
A few years ago, about a second before the kids were going back to school, my enneagram 7 husband says, “We should take a family trip. To South Dakota.” I looked at him blankly. Because… planning. In order to make it work we would need to leave in about a minute. OK,...
Practical Ways to Comfort & Mourn with Those who Mourn
Part of doing life is enduring all things. It may feel weird to get practical when it comes to raw, but strategic thinking coupled with a compassionate heart could bless the lives of your people as you mourn together.
Coming Alongside the Broken and Burdened
Sometimes we get front row seats to our people’s deepest pain. For those who are in proximity to tragedy, we can come alongside with hope.
When I Don’t Understand
I know that God is good. I know that he is brilliant. Brilliant. I know that he has eyes to see things we are not privy to. That he creates and restores, has plans and pursues. I also know that terrible tragedies and severe mercies exist. I know that while God has great plans for us, he also allows painful circumstances to play out. And somehow all of this can be true at the same time. Even though sometimes I don’t understand what his plans are, or why he allows it.
Eyes That See
He sees value where we see poverty. He sees success where we see struggles, he glorifies what we often ignore, condemns what we often worship, invites when we feel unworthy. He is unimpressed with and undistracted by shallow formality and consistently engages with clarity of vision into the person’s heart before him.
Come to Me
Ceaseless awareness is a beautiful way to live. But in those moments when we need rest, when we need to plow a particularly gargantuan field; let’s listen to the invitation we’re offered.
The Yoke and the Plow
Exhaustion seems to be the undercurrent of our culture right now. COVID just reared up and blasted us over the last 2 years, and while there has certainly been a spectrum of loss, even on the best side of the swing there has been a cumulative ask that has diminished...
Deep Calls to Deep
My brother is a walking billboard for what cool looks like. He lives in Austin, cool. Loves to surf, cool. People are literally drawn to his personality. He commands a room with his unassuming but brilliantly stated thoughts, most of which are completed with some...
Pushing Through Weariness
There is a story about weariness that isn’t often remembered for weariness. It’s one that compels me with his compassion because he knows exhaustion — because in my most noble of efforts I am quite often tired. And the God of the Bible comes after us, and he shows...
I just miss you
I have confidence with all of my capacity, to believe that there is life after death. I believe that all of the hints and promises about what comes next, the glimpses gifted by God are true. I believe that I will see my Mamaw and side by side worship and love and...
A New Song
I cannot sing. The first time I realized it I was about 9 and I recorded myself (on cassette tape) singing a clip from “The Little Mermaid.” When I proudly sat my family down for them to hear it, I was shocked and horrified when I realized I was not, in fact, Amy...
Suffering Well
We are in the midst of Holy Week. The biggest popularity shift whiplash ever known in one week’s time. And the impending purpose of The Announcement which was so formidably offered 33 years prior. Regardless of what people believe about who Jesus was, nobody argues...
Grace and Cutting People Slack
We all need grace don’t we? Life is a journey, and sometimes we need people to laugh, shrug stuff off, and cut us some slack — because truthfully speaking rarely are any two people at the exact same point in their journey and nobody has access to the depths of our...
Breaking Point
In the last few days I have heard 3 people who are dear to me use the phrase “I am at my breaking point.” All for completely unique reasons and seasons of life demands. And because I love them I am so grateful that they all have growing and vibrant relationships...
Control, Submission, and the Chicago Air Traffic Control Center
I used to be categorized as a pretty flexible, undemanding, mostly spontaneous person. Gone are those days. I have become sort of type A. Not by nature, by absolute necessity. Because I have kids — whom I love and adore and would like to see into adulthood; so the...
It’s A Season
Today it was easy to be content. SO easy. This morning the air was crisp and cool, the sun was bright, and the wind at bay. The boys threw rocks into the lake that literally seemed to sparkle, and as they laughed and played I sipped my coffee, hugged my sweatshirt...
Forsaken
It means to be abandoned or deserted; which infers an interruption of sorts. The one forsaken wasn’t alone to begin with. My own instinct is to assume (in most cases) a devastating separation, or rejection. Which is what caught my eye and compelled me to linger as...
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