faith

Leave the Spatula Alone

“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:4) There is a very specific moment in pancake making when wisdom and impatience part company. The pancake has been in the pan for what feels like a perfectly respectable amount of time. The glossy batter around the…
What My Father Left Behind

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” — Exodus 20:12 Tomorrow would have been my dad’s eighty-sixth birthday. He has been gone a few years now, and birthdays have a way of making absence feel different. They bring back memories,…
Many Hands, One Garden

I was having a conversation with a young friend recently about raising children. And when I say young, I mean young. I am pushing seventy, and she hasn’t quite managed to leave her teenage years behind yet. She is a sweet young woman who has come through some difficult things in her short life. What…
When Compromise Starts Collecting Rent

Scripture Focus: “And the LORD was with Joseph…” (Judges 1:22). “And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out” (Judges 1:28). “And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down…
Still Standing

“For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river.” — Jeremiah 17:8 There’s something about a good storm that gets my attention. The wind picks up, the rain starts pelting the windows, thunder rolls across the sky, and suddenly everything outside is getting a…
The Storm That Couldn’t Sink a Promise

(Part 2 of a 3-Part Series) Scripture Focus: Acts 27:14–32 When we last saw Paul’s ship, it was moving away from Fair Havens beneath a gentle south wind. The sail had filled, the sea appeared cooperative, and the harbor they preferred seemed close enough to justify leaving the shelter they already had. To everyone aboard,…
Before the Soul Grows Breathless

Scripture Focus: “Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 One of the things I love about God’s creation is how often it quietly preaches without ever saying a word. Somewhere in the ocean, a dolphin is resting with only half its brain asleep because it must remain alert enough to rise to the surface and…
Guarding the Gateway

Scripture Focus: “…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10:5 Have you ever noticed how one unpleasant moment can seem to erase an entire day of blessings? You might wake up to a beautiful sunrise, enjoy a conversation with a friend that leaves you smiling, receive an unexpected compliment,…
The Measure of Success

Scripture Focus: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringth wicked devices to pass.” — Psalm 37:7 Waiting is difficult enough. Waiting while it appears that those who ignore God are getting ahead can test our faith…
The Danger of “Good Enough”

Have you ever found yourself wanting something for another person more than they seem to want it for themselves? Perhaps you’ve watched someone remain in a relationship that continually hurts them, or you’ve encouraged a friend to pursue an opportunity they keep talking themselves out of. Maybe you’ve prayed earnestly for someone to draw closer…