Latest Posts

  • Flee!

    After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.” Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod died. Matthew 2:13-15 Today my… Read More

  • When You Don’t Know What to Do, Lament

    Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 Jesus sends us out to help people we feel helpless to help. I had this text exchange with a dear friend from Afghanistan a few days ago. How is your family in Kabul? We are praying for you… Read More

  • Scripture Basher

    Then Job answered and said, “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all.” Job 16:1-2 In your desire to comfort the broken-hearted, beware of becoming a Scripture basher. I sat rigid on the couch as my friend scolded me. “You’ve got to have faith. After all, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God rewards the faithful. Without faith, we can’t please God.” Rushing to… Read More

  • A Multitude of Invalids: Helping the Wounded, Part One

    Hi friends,  I just had the honor of completing a training experience with the Trauma Healing Institute under the gentle and joyful teaching of Diana Spann, Steve Moses, and Susan Ryan. My goal was to gain training and certification to lead trauma healing groups. What I encountered was the healing of my own heart wounds, help processing trauma and burnout in my life, and the incredible gift of a new community of comrades who now will… Read More

  • Hiding Place

    You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). As a girl, my favorite place was a hiding place. To be honest, it probably still is. A good hiding place makes life’s storms easier to bear. I grew up under the shadow of a great mountain. Rocky crags and moss-covered cliffs rose like watchful protectors above our small community. I ran to them for… Read More

  • My Father’s Hands

    For Bruce. Thank you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands (Isaiah 49:16). I was dreaming, but I could feel my breath. Slow and shallow, full of fear. I stood before a weather-beaten house. Its rough-hewn wooden door was colorless from years of storm and sun. There was no knob. No place for a knob, either. Open the door. Jesus stood beside me, like a friend who goes with you to… Read More

  • The Sin and Shame of Suffering

    As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3 His espresso eyes welled with sincerity as he sat gingerly on my bed. What sin have you committed, sister? I have come… Read More

  • Light in the Darkness

    Walking in the dark night of Africa is risky. The black mamba, one of the world’s deadliest snakes, can completely camouflage himself within the inky darkness. He is one of the few snakes which are active at night and particularly loves wood or metal that has absorbed the heat of the day.  We encountered the black mamba only once, coiled around the grating on our screen door. After a long night of good conversation and… Read More

  • How We Gain New Strength

    He gives strength to the weary, and to the one who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:29-31). Listen to Me in silence, you coastlands, And let the peoples gain new strength…(Isaiah… Read More

  • The Table-Setter

    Thou preparest a shulchan before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with shemen (olive oil); my kos (cup) runneth over. Surely tov (goodness) and chesed (lovingkindness) shall follow me kol y’mei chaiyyai (all the days of my life)... --Psalm 23:4-6, Orthodox Jewish Bible Shulchan: (Hebrew) a king’s table, private use, sacred use (Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon; keyed to the "Theological Word Book of the Old Testament"). My table-setter was very… Read More