At the beginning of the year, I wrote a blog post about how I wanted this to be the year of growth. After a hard year in 2020 where I was consumed by grief and “survival-mode,” I wanted to start setting goals and working toward them again. I also knew my tendency to go too… Continue reading 33 Ways of Growth in 2021
I meant to post the next third of the books I read this year in September, but who was I kidding—I should have known that with school starting, I wouldn’t have had time for a book post then. So now that the year is ending, I figured it’s time to tell you about the rest… Continue reading 2021 Reading Challenge, Part 2
For Zechariah and Elizabeth of Luke 1, they had had so many years go by that were just like the ones before. Their lives had assumed a rhythm of normalcy that they had embraced. I’m sure they had long ago accepted that there would be no children to grace their home, although the shame and… Continue reading What if this is the Year Where Everything Changes? And What if it’s Not?
The other night, I started thinking about the decade of the 20s and how important they are in a person’s life. I look back on my 20s as the most formative years in my life. My 20s may have looked different than some of my friends, but the things I learned about myself and what… Continue reading 30+ Things to Know & Experience Before You’re 30
Not too long ago, I was driving home from a friend’s house after dinner and good conversation together. It was a warm summer evening with cool breezes coming through the open car windows, and the song “Jireh” came on the radio. And as I was singing along to the words, “I will be content in… Continue reading Contentment: Both a Gift and a Choice
Recently I let the realization sink in that I have bought into the culture’s idols of romanticism and individualism for far too long. I’ve let them become my default, along with the idol of marriage that often shows up in the church, and have encouraged and fed them by filtering my life’s story around them.… Continue reading Turning Off the Romantic Default Switch
Summers for teachers are a blessed gift. They’re a time to regain a little sanity before starting the craziness all over a couple months later. And for married teachers, it’s extra time to spend with their spouses and families. But for single teachers, the open, quiet days of summer can present torture if not managed… Continue reading A Prayer for the Summer – Embracing Ease, Form, Beauty & a Sense of the Whole
“I feel foolish,” she said, “trying to write words That others have already said – And far better than I.” “But don’t feel foolish,” He answered back. “Because your words Will become the melody of a song Someone else has longed to hear. “They will strike a chord At just the right time… Continue reading Those Foolish Words
As I took the dog for a quick walk the other day, I spent some time praying and contemplating what my focus should be for this month. And as I did so, a most frequent word in my study of 1 John came to mind: Abiding. And this was my answer – to learn to… Continue reading The Art and Practice of Abiding
This year I’ve been studying the book of 1 John. Through the various stages of Bible study and listening to a sermon series on it, my understanding has been profoundly deepened and strengthened. When I get to the meditation stage of my study, I’ve been practicing writing them out in poem form, so I thought… Continue reading The Battle is the Proof
The Vintage Girl 