Recently I was invited to lead a session on GRATITUDE AND GRIEF for a local organization called Dusk to Dawn Bereavement Services. I adapted that message to share with all of you here. Years ago, as I sat beside Mom’s hospital bed, temporarily placed in ours dining room—listening to...... More »
I was thinking again the other day (as I do daily, ad nauseam) about my struggles with my faith. My doubts, the journey I’ve been on, the losses I’ve experienced as my faith has evolved—my old (and much-loved) church community, friendships, my sense of security. My new church recently...... More »
When some people tell me I’m unique, I think perhaps it’s a subtle way of telling me I’m weird. Like, not in a good way. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve quit worrying so much about that and I’ve embraced my uniqueness. After all, God made me this way,...... More »
Life can be hard—especially when we’re juggling a lot of things. Like holiday gatherings, planning for big family feasts, checking your bank balance online and wondering when you’ll have time to do all the Christmas shopping you want to do, for example :-). For me, simply sitting with God...... More »
My friend Michele just loves cows. She stops on her walks to take pictures of the cows standing in the fields watching her. Knowing that, whenever I see cows now, I think of her and smile. (And let’s be real—this guy makes you smile, too, doesn’t he? (Or she?...... More »
For the cover of the new 2023 prayer prompt calendar, I wanted something a little more conceptual than in some previous years. I wanted to find an image that said “prayer” at first glance. It’s a lot harder than you might think. I sent dozens of texts to my...... More »
I shared this reflection at my church’s Mid-Summer Peace and Renewal Service. The text is below, or you can click the YouTube graphic to go to the starting point of my message. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will...... More »
I’m staking everything—my eternity, which I still believe in; my relationship with the Almighty; my soul—on my certainty that there is a beneficent, benevolent, merciful God. A living embodiment of the unlimited grace I believe in. It makes no sense, yet it’s terrifying to let go of this idea...... More »
I’ll only take a minute or two of your time. Much like my new journal. My daughter gave me a gratitude journal for Christmas, and I’ve really enjoyed getting back into the practice of looking back over my days and remembering. I noticed that my gratitude entries read more...... More »
It’s lonely. You know you’re not the only one on this path yet most of the people on similar journeys are outside of church, or scattered around the country in different places, and you no longer have the comfort of gathering with other like-minded believers under one roof. Even...... More »