• Hurry Up and Slow Down!

    Having just finished reading John Mark Comer’s Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, I was deep in thought, pondering the need to slow down. Suddenly, I heard the microwave beeping and in my rush to turn it off, I stubbed my toe. Think about it. As I thought about slowing down, I rushed and hurt myself, causing me to stop and slow. God has a funny way…

  • Do You Hear What I Hear

    We all know people who give fake names at coffee shops. Some do it because their name is difficult to spell and they want to help the barista. Others do it to be silly. Still other times, the person listening gets the name wrong. This happened to us recently. After giving my order, the person behind the register asked my name. Jeff was standing behind…

  • Close Call

    Jeff and I were talking as we drove home after lunch. As we approached the hill, a young girl (4 or 5) came barreling toward us on her bicycle. Jeff slammed on the brakes, and exclaimed, “What is she doing?” At that moment, I looked up and saw the terrified expression on the girl’s face. She turned the steering wheel just in time to avoid…

  • God as Shade

    We all go through periods when we need help from others. As I write this, I hear the Beatles song in my head: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” Who do you call on when you need help? I’m blessed with several good friends I can call when needed. While my friends are willing to do what they can to help,…

  • Biblical Self-care

    Recently, I’ve thought a lot about self-care. I’ve heard pastors say self-care is sinful and worldly. Psychologists describe self-care as “doing what brings you joy” and popular media says, “You do you.” I’ve wrestled with a biblical view of self-care and here are my thoughts. The reason most of us need better self-care is that we are running ourselves ragged. We are so prideful we…

  • Contentment in the Stillness

    On a recent road trip with Jeff, I was struck by the silence in the car. Surprisingly, my heart began to smile at the joy I felt just being together. In the past when I saw an older couple sitting across from each other at a restaurant in silence, I thought “How sad. I hope Jeff and I are never like that.” As I matured,…