Imago Dei and pronouns
The Imago Dei is a mystery. How is it that we, made of dust, bear the image of God, the imprint of the divine? A mystery we can embrace but not fully explain, theologians have [...]
Darkness that lets us see the light
Part of me did not want to go to church. Another part of me longed for it, in a shaky, hungry sort of way. The hunger won out. At The Practice, the gathering we attend [...]
Disappointment with God: A Lenten Lament
I didn’t expect to usher in Lent feeling angry at God, but that’s how it went down. On Shrove Tuesday, my fervent prayers for a dear friend that I love and walk beside went unanswered. [...]
Be encouraged
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing--The Apostle Paul, in his letter to believers. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) My mother and I, in a flash of ambition, sort through [...]
Fragile foster kids find a home
Where do the kids who no one wants go? How do foster kids who are "difficult to place" because of their medical challenges find a home? Sometimes, the story of a family captures your imagination [...]
Xenophobia and philoxenia (or, what is biblical hospitality?)
A common critique put on 21st Century Christians is that they are better known for what they are against, than what they are for. I don't think this is true of all Christians--but the criticism [...]
Discovering your voice
“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split wide open.” Muriel Rukeyser, poet, feminist, political activist What does it mean to discover and use your voice? What [...]
Head of the household?
“Why did God make man the head of the household?” That question stared up at me from the study one of the men in our small group had written. We were discussing a chapter from [...]
Doing things that are hard
At about 3 a.m., I am running in a warm, foggy rain down a wooded path, somewhere just south of Racine, Wisconsin. My glasses are constantly fogging up (why did I think taking out my [...]
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 [...]