A few weeks ago we had one of those rains where it seems like the whole sky opens up. Trees bent under the weight of it. Birds scurried to find shelter. Every living creature seemed to realize the need to stay dry except my dog, who I inadvertently left out while running errands. She just laid there sopping wet, hanging her face when I remembered to let her inside. She had a huge covered porch where she could stay covered, but she chose to take a cold shower. Afternoon came and the rain Continue Reading
When You Have Trouble Believing Your Unseen Work Matters
I’m pretty sure summer brings out a whole other brand of crazy in me. Something about not having a schedule or routine with these long days of no quiet makes me feel like I’m losing my compass. Not to mention that we’ve decided to have a monsoon season in June here in western Maryland. Neighborhood pool, maybe we’ll see you in July? Maybe? While making one of those "I just have to get out of the house" errands, I saw another mom of littles at the store. She had that crazy, I’m about to scream Continue Reading
How to Pursue Joy When the Whole World Seems Angry
The countdown started weeks before New Year’s Eve. I heard it in conversations around me, on social media and even in books I was reading. Christmas was in the air, but for many a new year was even more promising than Emmanuel, God with us. A chance at a new beginning beckoned. The chance to say a final good-bye to a painful year coaxed people along. I felt it too. In the final months of 2017, I heard the word “cancer” more times than I would want to hear it in an entire lifetime. Loved ones Continue Reading
