Temporary-New-Normals are an odd thing, because we act in faith and hope that it isn't a forever-new-normal, and yet it's long enough that we really can't just press "pause" on our lives and wait it out.
From dust you were made; to dust you shall return...
I was not ready for what happened next.... Standing before me was my own child.
I often find myself sitting next to my kids, talking through the Big Things that are happening in their lives — some of those Big Things I experienced when I was their age, but let’s face it: Our kids have different lives than we did, and some of this is new for all of us. Because of that, I was delighted to see When Kids Ask Hard Questions: Faith-Filled Responses for Tough Topics come across my social media feed recently.
Worship is a sacred time, when we come together in the name of God, to proclaim the Word, to fellowship, to pray. It is when we remember our call to be people of peace, looking to the model of the Prince of Peace. It is when we gather around the Table to remember a Christ who engaged in nonviolence even when his life was threatened… even as he was executed by an occupying political regime. I prefer not to focus worship on secular holidays as a rule (see also: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day) for this reason; they tend to detract from worship of God and place our trust in humanity instead. I am a Christian because of the goodness of God, not the fallibility of humanity.
In this Faith at Home series, I will be sharing some of the ways Jonathan and I have intentionally parented our kids (currently ages 7, 9, and 11) in a way that centers our Christian faith and faith-based values. My philosophy of pastoring and parenting is “That church would be an integral part of the... Continue Reading →
In this Faith at Home series, I will be sharing some of the ways Jonathan and I have intentionally parented our kids (currently ages 7, 9, and 11) in a way that centers our Christian faith and faith-based values. My philosophy of pastoring and parenting is “That church would be an integral part of the... Continue Reading →
In this Faith at Home series, I will be sharing some of the ways Jonathan and I have intentionally parented our kids (currently ages 7, 9, and 11) in a way that centers our Christian faith and faith-based values. My philosophy of pastoring and parenting is “That church would be an integral part of the... Continue Reading →
I’ve spent my life in church. I’m a bit of a church nerd, actually. I love business meetings and conferences; ecclesiastical conversations are my FAVORITE conversations; and, well, I use words like “ecclesiastical” on a regular basis (ecclesiastical = churchy stuff). I care deeply about church — and I care deeply about churches being honest.... Continue Reading →
There's something powerful about Ash Wednesday being the week you send your husband off to war. Again. He was supposed to have been gone already - I thought the service would be my first time at church without him. Instead, it was our last time at church together before he left. As I faced the... Continue Reading →
In memory of Oscar Romero (1917–1980) A Future Not Our Own It helps now and then to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work. Nothing we... Continue Reading →
