The wonder of a few moments of quiet
This is a loud season, full of good busy and hectic hustle, both joy and stress. We long for a simple and meaningful Christmas, we want to be present during this Advent season. But when [...]
Free taste of The Gift of Christmas devotional
Christmas is less than a week away. Many of you have purchased The Gift of Christmas Present, my Advent devotional. (Thank you for doing so!) This week, I'll be sharing a few excerpts from the [...]
Feeling spiritually burned out? How to get get more out of reading the Bible
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of [...]
The wonder of a few moments of silence
This is a loud season, full of good busy and hectic hustle, both joy and stress. We long for a simple and meaningful Christmas, we want to be present during this Advent season. Often, our [...]
The surprising secret to experiencing abundance
We all long for it: the abundant life. I don't know about you, but I stand against a scarcity mentality steeped in fear. I want to believe that I have more than enough, even when [...]
Radical hospitality trumps hate
On Thursday, my friend Jane and I drove to Chicago to welcome a refugee family. Jane’s van was loaded with supplies: linens, towels, pots and pans, dishes, and more—the basics needed to set up home. [...]
Your nativity scene might be wrong–but that’s good news
When my daughter was very small, she was obsessed with our neighbor's outdoor nativity scene. Maybe it was the child-sized figures of Mary and the shepherds, or the stories about Jesus she'd heard at church. [...]
What are you passionate about?
What are you passionate about? Have you ever had a conversation, been asked a question, and later, after the conversation was over, thought, “I should have said…I should have asked…” This happens to me. All. [...]
Wise as serpents, harmless as doves?
Among the panicked Scripture quotes I’m seeing this week in response to the escalating refugee crisis, I’m noticing a lot of this one lately: “be wise as serpents, gentle as doves.” They apply this by [...]
Three Bible Words That Might Surprise You
Taking time each day to read the Bible can help us grow spiritually, and experience God’s love. Truth? I am sometimes tempted to skip this spiritual practice or hurry through it, because I think I've [...]