Broken bread, burning hearts
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. [...]
The “crisis” in the blogosphere
According to Christianity Today, as a spiritual blogger, speaker and author, I’m part of a “crisis in the church.” I agree there's a crisis, but I disagree on what exactly that crisis entails. Me, [...]
What the first Passover teaches us about worship
Chag Pesach Sameach! Happy Passover! Passover begins today. On this annual festival, the Jewish people celebrate their emancipation from the slavery of Egypt. While Christians don't typically celebrate Passover, later this week, on Good [...]
The surprising thing about Lent
How are you doing? Really? Yosemite National Park. (Photo by Melanie Kent) How’s the journey so far, Lenten pilgrim? Is Lent, and the practices you've chosen in this season, clearing the cobwebs? Spring [...]
Embracing inconvenience and finding GodSpace
#wewelcomerefugees I’d seen the hashtag. #wewelcomerefugees I knew my friend Jane did some work with refugees. I’d written about them (in books and blog posts and also for Christianity Today), even had a refugee family [...]
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. [...]
Transformative silence
This is a noisy time of year. One of the best gifts we can give ourselves this time of year is the gift of silence, of peaceful reflection in the midst of the hustle and [...]
Why you should ditch the “kids’ table” this Thanksgiving
In your dim memories of Thanksgivings past, you may remember it: the card table in the kitchen or the family room, possibly set with plastic cups, and a paper tablecloth, where you sat with your [...]
Is hospitality a spiritual gift?
Hey friends! It's been a while, right? Wanted to let you know I'm working on a new book, titled GodSpace: Embracing the Inconvenient Adventure of Intimacy with God. The good people at FaithWords publishers are [...]