A Developing Story
In my hotel room in Austin at our Cru National Summit, I pray that God would send me forth as a “royal priest” (1 Peter 2:9) to bless and minister in the name of the Lord wherever I went. I had been teasing people that, although I’m not rich in money to bless others, I’m […]
A Theme in the Day: Losing Good Things for Greater Things
I observe the morning breeze stir the cherry blossoms and scatter them to the ground. It’s a beautiful shower of white and pink. I know what it means: the fleeting blooms fall. We’ve lost them, but I note the beauty in even the manner of their falling–like dancers lilting and twirling. Now, the greenery will […]
Your Work Materials and Your Sword
For the past two days, I find myself fascinated by the account in Nehemiah about those working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in the midst of great opposition. God’s people endured ridicule, exhaustion, and the threat of attack while doing the work they knew God had called them do do. The account in chapter […]
When She Arrives
It’s time! You may keep a different time, and so might I, but the Weeping Cherry decides when the party begins. And it begins.
Offering Yourself
Lately I’ve been thinking more about what it means to offer yourself as a “living sacrifice” from Romans 12 in the context of blessing people. What does it mean to give of yourself to God and to other people–not in terms of acts of service, but in terms of your very self? I’m talking, of course, […]
Sure of the Who
When I travel, I remember A.W. Tozer’s words again: “We cannot know for certain the what and the whither of our earthly pilgrimage, but we can be sure of the Who. And nothing else really matters.” Oh, how I love being sure of the Who! I remember–no matter where I am– God’s great care at all times.
Nature Goals (and Beauty Along the Way)
As I watch a hummingbird flit across the patio, I remember that I’ve been searching for at least 8 years for a hummingbird nest. Perhaps this will be my year! I find myself wandering through a hummingbird garden in Austin, TX. While I search for tiny nests, I cannot believe all the other beauty to […]
When in Austin, Texas
The living with flair moment arrived as soon as I walked through the airport terminal in Austin to see a “taco bar” with brisket, pulled pork and chicken, and a variety of hot sauces. I’m here for the weekend for a Cru National Summit Briefing, and I’m already fully immersed in Austin, Texas. Years ago, […]
It’s Not Always Spam
I’ve been learning to quickly scan my spam email before deleting it all in one lump. It’s a simple lesson, but today I found a lovely personal email that had mistakenly been sent to spam. I don’t know why it landed there. Meanwhile, spam often arrives to my inbox, improperly marked as real mail. I […]
The Blessing and the Shaking of Hands
When I end a course at Penn State, I always read the Irish Blessing to students. I actually read it over them, like a proper blessing. I tell them I’m not Irish, and I’m not Catholic, but still. Everyone needs someone to bless them at least once in their life. I cry nearly every time. […]