But How Can I Live Well?
All afternoon, I think about Psalm 119:9-16 as an answer to the question, “How can I live a godly life? How can I keep my way pure?” I especially think about this for all the incoming freshmen students who want to live in a way that pleases God. The psalmist writes: How can a young man […]
“And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” 1 John 3:16
What does it mean to “lay down our lives” for others? In 1 John 3:16, we read, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for others.” I love how the verses continue because when we love in this […]
Seated with Christ Korean Language Edition!
I am so excited to see this edition of Seated with Christ in Korean. Bethany House Publishing published this translation. I’m so grateful and so excited to imagine wonderful friends reading this book in their own language. It’s overwhelming! People all over the world, right now, worship Jesus in their own language, and they read […]
New Dreams
I’m always looking forward to new dreams for the upcoming academic year. I think about the new students I’ll meet at the end of August and all the beautiful writing I’ll encounter. I think about new books to write–both fiction and nonfiction–and new goals to achieve. Arriving home from our summer travels, I think about […]
The Rotting Thing That Brings What You Want
I laughed when the children remarked how disgusting the dead, floating fish was in the lake. I told them that the horrific thing they detest attracts the thing they want: turtles. Sure enough, they finally catch a turtle who comes by to feast on the dead fish. I remember that the things in my life […]
You Don’t Have to Wait
Every few months, I like to remind myself of the truth that we don’t have to wait to begin to make small, positive changes. We don’t have to wait for perfect conditions or some dramatic new beginning. We can choose, today, to start small in the direction we want to go. Maybe it’s drinking more […]
If You Need Attention
In Psalm 34:15, we read that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry.” God sees and is attentive to our cries today. What a wonderful truth when we feel ignored or overlooked, forgotten or discouraged. God is attentive to us this very moment.
Released to Worship
I’ve been thinking about how, in Exodus, the whole point of delivering the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt was for the purpose of worship. We read this great purpose in Exodus 7, 8, 9 and 10: “Let my people go so that they may worship me.” When God moves to release us from sin, […]
To Set Out, Exploring
We leave to explore the shores of White Lake, and within just a few yards, we discover eggs hidden in the cypress trees, a baby turtle belly-flopping off the log, ducklings coming too close to my feet, dragonflies sunning on laundry lines, and minnows darting under piers. We visit with neighbors and meet a new […]
What You’re Worried About
It’s wonderful to take a moment and talk to children about what they’re worried about, what they’re mulling over, and what kind of thoughts trouble them. Getting these thoughts out–and having a loving adult reassure them–can make all the difference in the life of a child. My friend told me that a great parenting tip […]