Prayer of Consecration and Surrender
In the morning, we can tell God we belong to Him fully and without reservation. We can tell Him the day belongs to Him and we are available for His use. We can surrender and consecrate our lives. We can say, “Do what you wish with me today!”
And the Sun Shall Visit You
I love Zechariah’s prophecy about his son in Luke 1. I notice a strange capitalization when I look up Luke 1:76-79: And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, […]
The Cold, Dark Morning of Joy
This morning, I woke up early enough to watch the sunrise from where I sat with my Bible and journal. I ventured out into the blue-black morning and saw the buttery light coming from underneath the trees far away. I bundled up and dragged the garbage can and recycling bin to the curb. I loved […]
No Major Decisions
This morning I laughed when my friend sent me the wise words of a man who said something like, “Don’t make any major decisions in February.” Because it’s such a dreary month in Pennsylvania (often bitter cold, grey, and icy), we tend to give way to boredom, low mood, and isolation. So it’s possible we’ll […]
Structures of Support
When you want to reach a goal or make a change in your life, you need structures of support to help you. If you feel like you are unable to achieve your goals, think about where, when, and how you need support. Some people need accountability so they check in with someone about their goal. […]
2 Fresh Questions and a 2 Minute Stretch
I’m leading a seminar to help graduate students and faculty teach an advanced writing course I designed. Two of our guiding class principles involve building community and having fun. People learn better when they feel connected and happy. I love classrooms that foster a positive mood, laughter, and belonging. I also advocate for a daily […]
Ice Is a Whole Different Story
This winter, we’ve dealt with more ice in Pennsylvania. Normally, an enormous snowfall won’t shut anything down, but ice is a whole different story. It’s time to shut down. Icy roads and sidewalks could even delay Penn State classes–which rarely happens. As I anticipate the coming ice storm tonight and tomorrow morning, I expect the […]
Good to Me
This morning, I kept thinking about an overlooked fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: goodness. The Holy Spirit fills us with goodness. This means that our lives demonstrate the benevolence of God. We are good to others. I love thinking about being good to others. I imagined the joy of being the type of […]
Winter Walk: Three Joys
When it’s in the 20’s or 30’s (and less windy) I find the joy of walking again. As I age, it’s harder to stay warm! My daughter and I decide to walk for nearly an hour around the neighborhood. It doesn’t bore us, even after doing these loops for years. This time, we spot three […]
Relunctant
Today I chuckled as I started to read the book of Jeremiah. Reading in the English Standard Version (ESV), I find a timely command from God. Jeremiah symbolizes for me our reluctance to follow God; we make excuses and we complain. If you remember, God sends Jeremiah on a speaking assignment, and Jeremiah complains that […]