Archives

All the Different Audiences

I find myself so thrilled to speak on Ephesians 2:6 to the State College MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group this evening. Those years were some of the hardest of my whole life. I would have died without Jesus. As I prepare my presentation to these young mothers on how to heal from the jealousy and […]

Hold Your Passions Loosely

As I review the manuscript edits from the first round of editing for Chosen for Christ, I remember to hold the words loosely. They’re not mine. These gifts of writing belong to God; my words belong to Him. Learning to revise and consider the input of others in a creative process represents a challenge for most […]

Happy Easter: A Living Hope

I say this morning what Peter proclaims in 1 Peter 1:3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. . .” Words fail to capture what happened on that day […]

And Now She’s Growing a Lemon Tree

Ever since the success of the avocado tree that now sits in a pot in a sunny warm place in our home, my daughter has wanted a lemon tree. Why stop with avocados? Why not grow a lemon tree? On the kitchen window sill, she’s preparing lemon seeds to sprout. She soaked them, and now […]

Simple Traditions of Easter

I announce all day long, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’! It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’” It’s a good Friday. We eat Good Friday pastries–little danishes and chocolate filled croissants–and we talk about our cooking plans for the weekend. We’ll go to a Good Friday service this evening, and then tomorrow, we’ll do some spring cleaning. […]

When I Showed Millennials the Millennials Video

My oldest class of students considers themselves millennials, so I wanted to show them the “Millennials in the Workplace” video by Simon Sinek. I honestly hoped they’d all throw down their phones in disgust and agree with everything Sinek tells them. They’d confess their addictions to their phones. They’d talk about how depressed they all are. […]

A Video Helping Me Understand Millennial

My friend sends me this video last night, and I love the insights and suggestions the speaker offers. Enjoy! It’s called “Simon Sinek on Millennials in the Workplace.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU    

What We’d Do With More Confidence

I think about what we would do if we felt more confident. How many opportunities do we pass by because we lack confidence? I think about the people we don’t walk across the room to meet, the words we don’t say we want to say, and the risks we don’t take. Imagine the confident you–the […]

Rise. Cry. Hope.

Early this morning, I read the words of the priest in Psalm 119:147: I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. As you know, I love concise writing; in fact, this week, I’m teaching my students the art of the “micro-message.” It’s a way of condensing writing […]