When God Doesn’t Make Sense We all face seasons when, from our limited, human perspective, what God allows in our life does not make sense. Last month, two weeks and two days after losing our son Tyler, we followed the ambulance transporting my father-in-law to the hospital. We had lived life and raised our family within ten minutes of him, so our years were filled with his supportive, loving presence. That evening, while we sat with him, pushing back the...
April 22, 2021
When Covid Crashes Through Your Front Door What do we name this dark valley we travel. Where sunlight mocks the darkness in the space we try to breathe. What cruel trick transpired that two weeks took us from sweet fellowship with you around our table, to crushing sorrow you are not here with us, laughing and talking and loving and sharing life. How do we bring together the depths of our faith and the depths of our sorrow? How do...
March 25, 2021
How to Balance the Myriad Aspects of Life What an ugh-filled year. We’ve lived pandemic for twelve plus months. After lockdowns and shutdowns, layoffs and closings, masks and restrictions, sickness and tragic lives lost, we catch a glimpse of light shimmering at the end of our long travelled tunnel. With folks rolling up sleeves to receive the rolled out vaccines, the air echos with sighs of relief at the prospect of unmasking and moving on with life in a “more normal”...
March 11, 2021
4 Offerings of God’s Goodness in Relational Hards There exist a vast array of hards we face in life. All of them bring varying levels of pain, uncertainty and testing. However, there’s something about relational difficulties that take pain to a different level. Unresolved conflict with another makes our soul feel raw. Tensions wear our emotions to a thread. Rejection causes us to doubt our value and purpose. Betrayal tramples our ability to trust. Abandonment leaves barren land within us....
February 25, 2021
Does Anything Good Come from Hardship? When we stand far off from a trial, we are quick to acknowledge that God uses hard times to change us. We agree that through difficulty He molds us and shapes us to be more like Him. But when we’re in the trial, we are reminded change does not come without pain. Without emotional struggle. Without wrestling or all-out contention with God for what He has allowed in our life. As if our situation...
February 11, 2021
ONE WORD TO CALM CHURNING WATERS There are times life swirls around us. We swim through churning waters brought on by pain, sorrow, conflict, or illness. Events we did not choose. Pain we did not sign up for. Sorrow deep and unexpected. Which leave us feeling confused, hurting, and out of control. Problems sending our comfortable routines, self-confidence, and sense of control into a tailspin. In these times, as we search for relief and help, we demonstrate wisdom to remember...
January 28, 2021
Tools for Safeguarding Your Marriage Truths about marriage are well established in Scripture. Marriage is ordained by God, established for His purposes, and reflects Christ’s relationship to the church. What isn’t spelled out quite as clear is that marriage stands as a paradoxical encounter in life: both a terrific challenge and an immeasurable blessing. Strong marriages don’t evolve from two perfectly matched soul-mates coming together in relationship. God builds strong marriages from two people with very different backgrounds, contrasting personalities,...
January 14, 2021
HOW TO HAVE PEACE IN THE CHAOS Well. Here we are. Nestled in the middle of the first month of the new year, happy and content 2020 fades behind us. Finally. We’ve arrived in the year designated to usher in a return to normal. To sanity. To peace. But, from appearances, 2021 did not get the memo. For we still move about masked and social distancing. Still await our vaccines. Still suffer the loss of friends and family to a...
December 17, 2020
What Movie are You Watching This Christmas? The Christmas movie reel. We all have one rolling in our minds. A dream of how we want Christmas to unfold. The video conjures up warm feelings of family harmony, traditions, togetherness. Where laughter sparkles and carols spill from happy hearts. Perfect gifts wrapped in perfect packages await perfect responses of delight. All while a gentle snow falls on a pristine landscape. But the reality of Christmas often presents a deep contrast as the film...
December 3, 2020
How to Have an “Advent”ageous Month The new month ushers in a new season. Advent. Weeks of sparkling lights, festive music, hidden packages, and wafting sweet aromas lead up to the celebration of Christmas. Of all the years in recent history, we need what this season offers. Not just the surface delights that bring momentary happiness. But the greater, underlying truths of advent: hope, peace, love and joy. Who, in this hard year of 2020, does not long for these...