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Life Interrupted: Lessons from a Teen Pregnancy
Mary’s story has always fascinated me, but never more-so than a few years ago in a darkened theater. I went to the movies with a friend, and we watched as a young woman portrayed the confused teen who found favor with God. My own life had been freshly interrupted by God. Mary’s confusion echoed my heart’s response. The friend sitting next to me gasped as she saw Mary’s surrender: “Oh God. I can’t believe she said yes.” That’s the rub. A young Jewish girl agreed to have her life forever altered to be part of God’s purposed story. The account we read in Luke is short and yet so much…
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All in the Family: Talking about the Stuff that’s Hard to Talk about
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When We Need Eyes to See
Job has been the book of study lately for a group of women in my community. The first day we started, my friend and I commiserated that we get a little anxious when Job's story comes up. Kind of like God is trying to prepare us for the doom to come. We shrink from the prospect of suffering, even though we know there's purpose in it. We are like Christ sharing the fellowship of his suffering (Philippians 1:29). But it's still hard. The story in Job chapters 1-2 gives me pause. Because honestly, there's a whole lot going on behind the scenes of the story being lived out on earth.…
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Christ Has Died. Christ Is Risen. Christ Will Come Again.
Christ Has Died. Christ Has Risen. Christ Will Come Again. These are the words I repeat with our community of Christ-followers each time we gather to observe communion. They have come to mean something endearing to me, more than ritual recitation. They echo what has happened, and they speak to what will happen. This Thursday my mind dwells on the last supper our Lord had with His disciples and the events that took place Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so long ago. I grew up hearing the stories of faith from my family and another community of believers. Friday morning coffee brought the story of Jesus’ suffering. How He’d been…
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Even You Need Rest
Hey, friend. When did you last take time for soul care? I know. It’s not a vacation-guilt-trip we’re after here. But summer is almost over. The ministry year is planned. (Or, maybe you’re really stressed because it’s not!) As one who’s learned the value of taking care of my own soul (and paid the price for not doing it), let me encourage you to get out your calendar & find time. Make time. Cancel something if necessary. We can’t afford not to. Ruth Haley Barton spoke to a group of leaders in my area a few years ago from her book Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. A friend…
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Living the Tension of Family & Ministry: One Woman’s Journey
“What do I tell a woman who loves the Lord with all her heart? Who feels called to His service? We have women desiring to leave their husbands and children. Abandon their homes. To go and preach.” Eyes full of his own thoughts, he observes my face, watching for my response. I taste the tension in his words. The tension every woman feels with warring desires in her heart. I know what it is to feel the emotion he described. To desire to be used for God’s kingdom. My head knows the answer he wants to hear. My heart knows its own longing. That longing has prompted many late-night conversations…
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“She Did What She Could”
This week I attended a women’s leadership conference at Dallas Seminary. In addition to some moving worship and hugs from familiar faces, I walked away with several nuggets, three of which I’ll share with you here today. (More can be found in Elisa Morgan’s book She Did What She Could. Here are my take-aways from Elisa’s talks.)
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Take a Closer Look, Or Else
Ever had the experience of purchasing something only to find out “what you see” isn’t really “what you get”? Perhaps it’s what you thought you saw. Or heard. You realize later that you were mistaken, didn’t read the fine print, didn’t heed the label, or that the seller/marketer didn’t shoot straight.
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When Hope Runs Out
I was in grade school when I first had exposure to someone taking his own life. The tragedy of a classmate’s teenage cousin who had given in to despair sent significant shock-waves through a small community. Cries of anguish and loss echo in my mind even now as I recall how the news reached our circle of friends at a Friday night high school football game.
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Pure and Undefiled, Not Perfect
I got to hang out with a precious friend this week, and this time was different from every other time we’ve gotten together. This time she brought a friend with her, a child almost two years old.
