In Winter
I talk to my friend about what it means to become like a child in winter. Here in Pennsylvania, we’re expecting a big storm tomorrow–maybe up to 10 inches of snow! I felt a little dread. I longed for the beach. I shivered in my thermal coat. But then, just when I felt the dreariness […]
Like Children
This morning I read in Mathew 18 when Jesus says: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” And what is a like child like? In my journal, I write down some key characteristics of a child: utterly dependent, trusting, joyful, resilient.
Peter and His Fish
In my study of Matthew, I find myself drawn again to the passage in Matthew 17 where it’s time to pay temple taxes. Jesus engages Peter with a line of questioning essentially telling Peter that children of God don’t necessarily have to pay the temple tax, but they should. And then the most curious thing […]
Small Little Investment
Today I decided to eat a big salad with just about every vegetable we had in the refrigerator. It was an investment in myself. Maybe I’ll try to eat a salad every day. With the holidays finally over, I’m still attempting to remember a life without sugar, without all the goodies, and without all the […]
Freely Receive; Freely Give
Something fun happened yesterday. Two enormous cases of KN95 masks arrived on my doorstep. For teaching at Penn State and travel, I order two small boxes of these masks, but amazon sent cases. Cases not boxes. Simple mistake right? I wanted 50 masks and now I had 1500. But amazon still only charged me for […]
Holding Joy and Sorrow
I recently received sad news about the death of a friend’s son. My heart felt so heavy this morning, but I still had to start my semester at Penn State. I asked God this question: “How can I teach my classes when I am also grieving with my friend?” I turned to Matthew 14 where […]
The Ice that Freezes You In Place
Today, we endured an actual ice storm! Nearly half an inch of ice currently covers our whole outside world. (I’m in the process of finally buying a new phone with a nice camera, so one day, you’ll see better pictures here. For now, you’ll have to use your imagination.) Imagine every object, tree, and sidewalk […]
It Doesn’t Have to Be Everything
I’m learning the secret to people who stay a long time in their careers and who never seem to suffer from boredom or burnout. It’s the advice I received 12 years ago from a mentor who said, “Don’t let this job be everything. It’s a job. It’s not your life.” It’s a job. It’s not […]
Some Worship Songs I’m Loving
Sometimes you just find songs you cannot stop listening to. I’m currently loving “Jireh” from Maverick City and Elevation Worship. Jehovah-Jireh translates to “The Lord will provide.” Here is a great youtube video to listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4OHSHd9wyA I love the opening lyrics of this song: I’ll never be more loved than I am right now Wasn’t […]
He Takes Hold of You
I love looking at repeating patterns in scripture. Today, I noticed the phrase in Matthew 14–in the account of a terrified Peter about to sink in the waves–how Jesus “immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him.” I remembered another time we see God reaching down to take hold of us. In Psalm […]