Listening to her speak, it became obvious that she didn’t see it. She spoke of religion and church attendance and faith as if they were an amiable accessory to someone’s already put together life. In the same way that someone might add community service projects to a resume, she could add on church attendance or some vague sense of right and wrong to the building of her family. There was no desperation, no searching for answers—she didn’t want help. She didn’t need it. But I knew different. I knew she did....Keep Reading
There is something about a garden that is miraculous to me. I wish I had a knack for growing things, but admittedly a green thumb of seems to have skipped this generation of my family tree. Yet the older I become, the more appreciation I have for the beauty of cultivated land. As an artist paints his canvas or a musician tunes his instrument, so a gardener intentionally, patiently, nurtures the ground. He fights daily against chaos that would overtake the order of his trained growth, making straight its path to the light that feeds it. He does so with the hope that the seed he sows in the darkness of the soil will live and grow in beauty and usefulness....Keep Reading
It was competition day. I had practiced and prepared, I was proudly wearing my uniform, and my parents along with those of my teammates were cheering for us in the stands. This was it—the moment had arrived. Competition tug-of-war seems somewhat comical now, but to ten-year-old me it was a very big deal. I lowered myself into position. Our coaches had taught us to stay low, pull slow and steady, and hold our ground. But as my partner and I watched the opposing teams take their places at the rope, our courage began to falter. We were out of our league, to say the least!...Keep Reading
One of my greatest pleasures in all the world is reading to my children. I dreamed of it often during the long months of waiting, and as soon as our Olivia arrived, I began with a passion. Before she could speak, she was listening. Strapped in the swing or bouncy seat, with nowhere to go, I would read story after story. As our family grew, we would all pile into the bed at night and explore a world of adventures together. Whether we fought side by side with the Pevensies for the glory of Aslan and the protection of Narnia, got lost in the big city at Christmas with a mischievous little monkey, or followed the yellow brick road with Dorothy and her companions—we ...Keep Reading
My aunt and I recently took my children on a hiking adventure to a place she had taken me when I was young. Though my kids were being great sports, I could tell they were a bit skeptical. After all, they had been dragged out of bed very early on a summer morning, made to shovel in their breakfast, crammed in a car, and driven an hour down the road. Why? To walk. A lot. Up a mountain. But my aunt and I knew something that they didn’t. We knew what was at the top. ...Keep Reading
John Newton said toward the end of his life, “Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” In Ephesians chapter 2 we see these two glorious truths arrayed side by side. Paul begins by making clear to all man’s true condition apart from Christ: ...Keep Reading
I sat silently by in my small place on the bleachers and listened. At first, I will admit, I was amused, but after a few minutes, my heart grew sad. Two couples stood nearby, chatting away, each one doing their best to sound more successful, appear more accomplished, and give the impression of being more put-together than the other. In truth...Keep Reading
It’s difficult to recall many of the memories I made before school age, but one stands out vividly. It was the day I learned to ride my bike. I had wavered back and forth over the previous month...Keep Reading
There are few love stories like that of my grandparents. To read the notes left behind in his senior yearbook, you get the idea that my Grandpa was something of a ladies man—handsome, athletic, funny, and more than a little mischievous. But the summer after his senior year, he met Ruth Lunsford—and everything changed. He had found his love, and he never looked back....Keep Reading
Tears rolled down his cheeks and hung on the end of his chin. I sat quietly listening and holding back tears of my own. My heart broke for him...Keep Reading
