“You Cannot Light Yourself”
The simplicity of the image amazes me: a candle cannot light itself. The pastor speaks this line on Sunday, and the image won’t leave me for days. I love exploring light in the Bible. Most notably, we hear this around Christmastime from Isaiah 9:2, in reference to the coming savior: “The people walking in darkness […]
Blather On
Today the Italian Mama reminded me of a great verb and a precious gift: to blather. Blather! To blather means to talk in a long-winded way nonsensical way. You’ll normally hear the verb in an apology, as in, “I’m so sorry I blathered on.” I love how close the verb approximates “lather” as in talking […]
A Psalm to Sustain You
I memorized Psalm 16 to survive my first year of graduate school at the University of Michigan. I recited it in rhythm to sound of my snow boots crunching the snow as I walked to the English Department. David writes this as his own sustaining covering from the Lord: Keep me safe, my God, for in you […]
Some Cyber Monday Deals
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Consecrating December: “Let Us Fall Into the Hands of the Lord, For His Mercy Is Great.”
All weekend, I consider the great mercy of God. We need His mercy. We appeal to His mercy most of all. He cannot change from His merciful character. I love how David cries out to allow himself to fall into the hands of God, not men, because God’s mercy is great (1 Chronicles 21:13). Mercy: […]
Ahead of the Snow
We leave early to drive back north to Pennsylvania. We learn the snow and ice will come this evening. We wish to get ahead of the storm. As we near home, the landscape changes. I see the beautiful deer dotting the edge of the forest. It’s hunting season now. I look out ahead down the […]
Card Games
The nephews teach me two new card games: Mafia and James Bond. We also play Spoons. When they ask me if I’ve ever played Spoons, I tell them that it’s a classic game of childhood—right up there with Spit, War, and Egyptian Ratscrew. I love gathering to play cards. So many things have changed since […]
As It Should Be
One of the Italian Mamas reminds me that everything “is as it should be” today. The phrase brings me back to God’s sovereign plan. It’s wonderful to rest in this.
What You Can Do
The other evening, I remembered a post from ten years ago called “The Not To Do List.” It served as a wonderful reminder that you can actually diminish your workload by thinking carefully about what not to do. You don’t have to do everything. In fact, certain tasks or activities, when prayerfully considered, might fall […]
A Gratitude Challenge
I woke up in the night thinking about the beautiful words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. This passage marks one of the very first times I delivered a devotional reflection on scripture. During one summer at Camp Greystone, I stood in the Dining Hall and told the campers these words: Be joyful always; pray continually; give […]