Americans are notorious for needing vacations from their vacations. We work extra hours to save up an exorbitant amount of money so that we can plan an extended vacation for rest. During this “restful” vacation, we try to see all the sites, snap all the pics for all the posts, and eat at all the highest-rated restaurants. If our step counts outpace our spending, we have succeeded! You don’t have...
There are few pains as disorienting and deep as the ache in a mother’s heart when something is wrong with her child. It might be rebellion, suffering, illness, distance, silence, or choices you never imagined they would make. Whatever the source of the pain, it can make you feel like your heart is walking around outside your body—vulnerable, exposed, and hurting in ways that are hard to put into...
The local church is meant to function as a healing and helping community that cares for God’s people. But what if, instead of grace and care, someone has experienced harm and hurt? When the church becomes a place of abuse and silence, the pain leaves people spiritually disoriented and alone. These individuals may wonder if they will ever feel safe around God’s people again. Instead of running to...
We put our faith in all kinds of things on a daily basis. Many of them are concrete and tangible. For example, we have faith that our car is going to transport us from point A to point B without incident, or that the chair we sit on will hold our weight. But faith in the creator God is not tangible and is therefore more complex and much harder to understand. Seeing others who model lives of faith...
Truly, truly, I say to you,you will weep and lament,but the world will rejoice.You will be sorrowful,but your sorrow will turn into joy.~ John 16:20 In speaking those comforting words to his disciples, our Savior made use of this memorable sentence, “Your sorrow will turn into joy.” As I read the whole passage, I pondered over those words, and tried to find out their meaning. Perhaps you think...
