Build a bigger table
I’m a planner by nature. I live in the future, where things are bright because I’ve planned every detail. So usually by now I have begun making lists, planning how to cook the turkey. Brining [...]
Learning to Speak God from Scratch
Sacred words are becoming a dying language, according to Jonathan Merritt. But in the words of Monty Python, they are “not dead yet” and we can revive them. Words matter. As I writer, I believe [...]
Welcoming strangers–not what I expected
“Hospitality means inviting the stranger into our private space, whether that be the space of our own home or the space of our personal awareness and concern. And when we do so, some important transformations [...]
Embracing the Inconvenient Adventure of Intimacy with God
I'm so excited to announce that my new book, GodSpace: Embracing the Inconvenient Adventure of Intimacy with God is available for pre-order now. This book is the one I've been longing to write for years--and finally have. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
I was a stranger and you invited me in…
One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories in recent years was the year we welcomed a family of Muslim refugees to gather at our table with us. Our church had put out a call to include [...]
What the Bible really says about women: Can women preach?
First in an occasional series. “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. 29 Even on [...]
Why you need play as a spiritual practice
"Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly." (Jesus, in Matthew 11:30) Sunday, I sat on [...]