Redemption of Mother’s Day: How to Heal Your Hurts
About two hours after Mother’s Day ended, my mother died in her bed of a massive heart attack. She was 65. Mom called her doctor, only hours after I talked with her the morning of that special day. He told her to get to the hospital ASAP after hearing her symptoms—profuse sweating, vomiting, shoulder pain. […]
Holding on When You’re on the Edge
I’m not kidding. The first five minutes of the mule ride down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon produced a surprising panic in me. After all, I’m an accomplished equestrian, and I’m not particularly afraid of heights. Or, so I thought. I’ve hiked steep, narrow trails on mountains many times. Yet, I had no […]
#MeToo And Then Some
Who would win Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”? Who would be revealed on last Wednesday’s cover. For the first time ever, I was curious. Turns out, the “winner” isn’t a person, per se. Turns out, the “winner” is . . . The #MeToo movement—a movement that has become a tsunami of women standing up […]
Abundance from Dependence
What do you do when your dreams aren’t coming true? What do you do when your heart breaks from the ache of wanting something so much and it looks like that one dream may never be yours? Like Hannah who wanted a child. Desperately. So what did Hannah do? Instead of lashing out at her […]
What Happens When the Hurting Seek Help
He comes up to me and leans in close to my ear. Will you pray for me? Of course, I say as I look into his eyes starting to well with tears. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief, dabs both his eyes, and with trembling voice tells me straight . . […]
UNRAVELING THE UNKNOWNS
He’s in critical condition with broken bones and a ripped up brain in an induced coma. He’s the 16 year-old brother of one of my former art students. Our families attended the same church for a few years. Headed to school last Friday morning, he comes to a curve. His car tumbles sideways—three times, I […]
The Presence of Peace in the Midst of Grief
The second week of Advent, we light that second candle. The peace candle. Peace. I want that flame to touch every wicked thing around the world this Christmas. I want peace on earth and goodwill to spread towards all. This is what we sing this season, isn’t it? Peace? Goodwill? And yet, Aleppo’s without water […]
Through Thick and Thin
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:2 Hayfield came down the other day. At least part of it. We split the harvest with the farmer up the road who has his cows. He’s got the equipment. We’ve got the grass. His cows and our horses need […]
Massacres and Scepters
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and […]
Slaying That Dragon—Again
Sometimes the dragon you thought died—the one you thought you slayed with God’s word and your heaving, desperate prayers and every other right thing you knew to do at the time? Sometimes that dragon comes back from the abyss as if it had never died and been buried. One day, you turn and there you […]
Glory Hunting
I wake to the the sun streaming on my side of our bed. A new day. My first thoughts? A prayer formed from words in Lamentations about hope in the midst of affliction. Oh God, because of Your great love we are not consumed, for your compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great […]
Who Guides You When You’re Anxious?
The Lord is MY shepherd . . . Psalm 23:1 Sometimes the fog rolls in on this farm covering pasture like cotton plucked and pulled thin. Sometimes anxiety rolls in over me too, shrouding me. Sometimes I just shake for lack of vision, for need of compassion, for someone to reach out and touch […]