surrender

The Price of Roadside Attractions

Years ago, my husband and I were traveling to visit the Chickasaw Nation in southern Oklahoma when something alongside the freeway caught our attention. Neither of us could figure out what it was at first, which naturally made us stare even harder. As we got closer, the strange little creature finally came into view. It…
The Other Side of the Soil

There is something almost backward about planting a seed. If I had one tiny seed in my hand and wanted to keep it safe, common sense might tell me to protect it. Keep it dry. Put it somewhere nothing can damage it. Maybe tuck it into a little envelope and place it safely in a…
Where Hope Kept Breathing

We remember where we werewhen morning changed its meaning,when blue September skiesbecame the backdrop of our grief,and ordinary Tuesday planswere scattered with the dust. We remember towers falling,sirens cutting through the streets,names called into unanswered phones,photographs held in trembling hands,and families waiting for footstepsthat would never cross the threshold again. We remember those who climbedwhile…
The Junk Drawer Solution

Scripture Focus: “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.” — Ezekiel 11:19 Every home has a repair drawer. It may not officially be called that—I call mine…
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…
The Wisdom of Unspoken Words

I’ve come to believe there’s a special kind of wisdom found not only in the words we choose, but also in the words we deliberately leave unspoken—and in recognizing the moment when enough has already been said. Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far…
The Whole Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10–18 Paul writes, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might,” then immediately tells believers to “put on the whole armour of God.” God’s armor, not man’s armor. The armor of God is designed for a spiritual battle where the real battlefield is the mind and…
Why Not Me? — Jealousy, Humility, and the Path That Leads to Life

Most people never realize the moment it begins. Jealousy does not arrive with anger. It slips in quietly, like a shadow crossing the floor, and takes shape in a single, unguarded thought: Why not me? You watch someone rise. Doors open for them that never opened for you. Their work is noticed. Their voice is…
The Yoke That Lifts

A Reflection on Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden…
The Quiet Power of Choice

Our victories and failures, our joys and sorrows, the rises and the falls of our lives are all connected, in one way or another, to the choices we make. Life is not built in a single moment, but in thousands of small decisions, many so ordinary we barely notice them. The direction of our family…