Too Soon for Fruitfulness
I learned another important lesson from my garden about what happens when someone bears fruit too soon. I planted my pumpkin seeds way too early. I’m learning the heat of early and mid-summer makes the pumpkins shrivel on the vine. I do have other pumpkin seeds I planted much later (for a fall harvest), so […]
The Neighbor Who
I just received a message from my neighbor who asked if I would like to stop by to taste her homemade blueberry cheesecake ice cream. She prepared four little cups with spoons for my family to enjoy her ice cream later. She uses fresh blueberries and the most delicious crumbles of crust to make it […]
He sees and He knows.
I’m reading the Bible in the English Standard Version after nearly three decades of using the New International Version. I recommend reading the Bible in a different translation at some point in your life. You’ll read the same stories with fresh eyes. You’ll find new insights because of a change in wording, even if the […]
Wisdom in the End
Every year, I reread the book of Job, especially the parts where Job and God speak. I love Job because of the reality of suffering. Good people suffer, and we don’t always know why. I underlined this passage in Job 42 and sent it to my family. These words contain more wisdom that we can […]
Your Life as a Hymn and a Gift
This morning before church, I started the book You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble. I loved the dedication to a man described like this: “a man who lived his life imperfectly but earnestly–not as his own, but as a gift to his family and friends.” I love thinking of our lives as a […]
Pumpkin and Watermelon Patch Update
The Basics
Sometimes people ask me for help in their spiritual lives. They want wisdom for how to build their adult lives and what kind of practices they should adopt to help them stay strong in their faith. I tell them it’s not anything complicated or terribly insightful. Read the Bible. Pray. Memorize scripture so you can […]
Devotions for Children
Years ago (back in 2012!), I wrote a few devotions for campers and counselors at Camp Greystone. One of my devotions is featured today on how God see our tears. My teen daughter (even though she’s not a camper) signed up to receive the Greystone devotions each day because she loves reading them! I highly […]
Some Advice for Essays on Applications
Today I visited a high school class in Paraguay via Zoom to talk about writing personal essays for the college application. What a thrilling time to connect with brilliant students and offer my favorite prompts for their portfolios of personal essays. We enjoyed talking about these prompts based on what I hear people caring about […]
The Longing and Hungry Soul
In Psalm 107:9, I found this beautiful sentence about God: For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things. I spent some time thinking about the difference between a longing soul and a hungry soul. A longing soul feels more profound to me–like a soul with deep, deep need that only […]