a beautiful brokenness
She bows down. Low. Heart aching. Wondering. Seeking. Questioning. If this is what freedom is, do I really want it? She raises her fist to the heavens and shouts her anger. She lets her heart ugliness spill out and over, and then falls to her knees keening her...
the three paths
Our human nature is bent towards compensation. We screw up and try to fix things by doing more or giving more. Our kids are mad at us for a decision made and we try to 'make' it up to them through various ways--whether it's a gift or privilege or event. We hurt our...
light of grace
Light fascinates and intrigues me. I love natural light. I love to watch the intensity of the sun change through the seasons. I love the gentle light of spring and the bright light of winter and the intense light of summer and fading light of fall. I prefer...
the grace of looking down
My shoulders slump. My eyes fill with tears. 'The waiting, God, is so hard. Is this dream a dream from you or is it rooted in my selfish ambition?' I imagine with Abraham what it was like to wait 25 years for the promise of God to be fulfilled. What must it have been...
the practice of abiding
Abide. Rest. Remain. This is the key to making it through those days when you get up out of bed and want to crawl back into bed, throw the covers over your head because there is a big, hairy, scary monster out there called 'To-Do' that just might chew you up and spit...
beauty of harvest
Fall is whispering its arrival in the cool nights and the turning of the fields. I have always thought the fall sky is a different sort of blue than the blue of summer or spring or winter. It takes on a brilliance that is emphasized with the myriad of colors in the...
graceful beauty
you are full of beauty. Psalm 27:4, 'One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.' you might look at yourself in the mirror and...
what is rest?
What is rest? Is it a good night's sleep? Is it taking a catnap during the day? Is it relaxing with a good book or a favorite TV show? What exactly does Christ mean when he says in Matthew 11, 'Come to me those who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest'?...
breathing in grace
I breathe in grace so I can exhale grace. So often I feel like I am breathing in exhaust fumes from the end or beginning of a long day. But what if I were to let go? To let go of my pride, my fear, my insecurities, and my plans and were to simply breathe in grace. To...
the climb
I feel myself pacing back and forth at the base of what seems to be a mountain to climb. The path that God has me on is leading straight up, but I keep putting off putting one foot in front of the other. So I find a boulder to sit on and sometimes I look at the climb...
perspectives
Perspective. Two people can be looking at the same scene and see very different things. Why is this? I think it's partially due to personality, temperament, worldview, and life experiences. Having different opinions about the state of the country, the state of the...
misunderstood brokenness
grace is one of those topics that the more I discover about it the more the mystery grows. I peel a layer and unearth a beautiful facet about grace, then another layer is revealed and I begin to peel that one away as well. Sometimes during the process I feel I lose...