The surprising gift of silence
This is a loud season, full of good busy and hard questions, for most of us. Even as we strive for simplicity, we see others for whom "simplicity" is not a choice but their only [...]
Waiting for the light of freedom
Advent is a time of waiting, and at our border (and indeed, at other borders around the world), travelers are waiting, now, for the chance to find new life. They are waiting for the chance [...]
Advent: Coming of the King of Peace
This Advent, gather with us in this space. Take a moment to breathe, to read very short reflections, to consider the ties between this ancient tradition and the challenges and joys of our current situation. [...]
Where is God? A lesson from bulbs
“Where is God in this mess?” “Does God even hear my prayers?” In my work as a pastor, I hear these kinds of questions a lot. And in some of the situations where I sit [...]
A springtime gift for your soul: Sabbath
Winter seems unwilling to yield to spring here in the Midwest, and I know we all feel weary. A month ago, my crocuses bloomed. Crocuses This week, we're getting snow. Check out this [...]
The surprising secret of transformation
I slip into my silent, dark house, shedding wet running shoes and jacket. In the kitchen, I pour a cup of coffee from the pot I made earlier and microwave it back to life. I [...]
How to run a marathon
I have reached the halfway point in an audacious adventure, in which I train for my first marathon. The training program is 18 weeks long, and I just finished week nine. I have a training [...]
The Mothering of God
Earlier this week, I found myself at Target, shopping for a Snot Sucker, which seemed somehow an appropriate way to commemorate the first anniversary of an executive order banning certain immigrants from our country. In [...]
The antidote for outrage fatigue
Over the last month or so, the U.S. has been battered by four hurricanes (Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate). We’ve been shocked white supremacists marching in Charlottesville and killing a counter-protestor, and by a mass [...]
Between “back to school” and “holiday hectic”–a reprieve
My connecting flight (which I make by only 10 minutes) takes me over the Grand Canyon at sunset. I’m relieved to be on the plane, blown away by the beauty, and suddenly sad for the [...]
