An Apparently Memorable Classroom Moment
I’m in an airport in Charlotte, NC, and a man approaches me. “You’re Dr. Holleman. I had you for English class like 8 years ago. When I was a freshman! Do you remember me?” “My goodness! Tell me your name again,” I say, scanning through a thousand student names in my brain. He looks so […]
What Remains
I consider how lush the vine was, how vibrant, how boisterous with shouting yellow blossoms and leaves the size of heads. I consider how it overtook the yard, dominating and persistent, growing faster than we could manage. And then, I note the shriveling away of all that display. I note what remains, firm and bright […]
In All Our Thoughts
I read Psalm 10 and wonder what it means to make more room for God in all my thoughts. The psalmist writes, “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Other translations indicate the main thought of the wicked person is simply, “There is […]
A Pause
Information comes too fast to process. The news from Las Vegas keeps my students’ attention as the one student from Las Vegas checks in with her family and friends. We talk about it. We pause. She cries. We pause again. We watch the news. We talk about it. It feels like more news we cannot […]
Not My Own
I’ve been thinking about Jeremiah 10:23 and these wise words: “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” I think about what it means to truly believe my life belongs to God, not me. I think about allowing God to direct my steps, not […]
Critical Tasks of a Leader
As I learn about Lawrence Chamberlain and his faith in Christ, I note the letter he composes to his wife when he believes his own death nears. He describes Christ as his all-sufficient savior and the peace his heart knows as a result of being forgiven by God. Chamberlain survives and works for the healing […]
Learning from Battlefields
I’m in Gettysburg this weekend, and last night, I learned again the critical value of that first glance of terrain. The army that secures the high ground gains certain victory; they win clear vision, gravity’s assistance, time, and morale. I consider what it means to gain the high ground in spiritual battle. I think about […]
Teaching Joy
When students gain confidence as writers, some beautiful things start happening: They hold up their parade of Instagram posts to brag about vivid verbs and semicolons. They report writing risks like submitting articles for publication, and the class cheers for each other when they see their writing in print in the college newspaper. They send […]
Preparing for the Season
We ready ourselves for the changing seasons. Soon, the Pennsylvania landscape will explode with reds, yellows, burgundies, golds, and oranges. The valley will soon stun us all with autumn color. We pull out the harvest decorations, the spiced candles, and the apple cider. We prepare different meals of rich soups and warm bread. We snuggle […]
Not Picking. Catching.
The raspberries grow so plump and heavy on the stalks that picking them becomes more like catching them. Coming near the harvest, I lift the leaves and let the berries fall into my bowl. Sometimes, the fruit God ordains for our lives comes so easy, like we’re resting under a bough that delivers abundance into […]