noticing and responding to God in our everyday life
“Return to me” declares the Lord. “That I may return to you.” Over and over this phrase is used in the minor prophets. When I hear the words, I imagine a dance. “Return to me” he says, his hand outstretched to mine. Today I accept his invitation and fall into his embrace. Tomorrow I may […]
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I will dare to bring beauty to a world of gray. I will dare to live in the messy middle, where courage and hope come alive. I will dare to be myself, even when voices say I’m not enough. I will dare to color outside the lines when redemption is at stake. I will dare […]
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“The essential thing ‘in heaven and earth’ is . . . that there should be long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.” Friedrich Nietzsche “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” is a book by Eugene Peterson in […]
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“Are you ready yet?” I’m sitting in the quiet right now. Only the dog and I have made our way into Friday. But I know in just a few minutes I will need to make my way upstairs to wake a sleepy 2nd grader. His movement always starts s.l.o.w. Until he sees the clock, this […]
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The air was still. I looked out at the faces, the tears. We were prayed for, deep heartfelt prayers. And in silence, hand in hand we walked out the door of that treasured space. It was our last Sunday of the church we had planted and watered and loved. We knew, as much as you […]
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It’s 4am and I’m hiding the glow of the computer screen from a deep sleeping boy. His fever has hit 103, his body radiating heat and smells of sickness. But now he sleeps peacefully next to me. I’m strangely awake and check to see the five-minute Friday prompt. Encouragement. I look down at him. And […]
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It’s week four and she says to them as they hang on the edge of the deep end of the pool, “we are going to try something new today…” From my bleacher seat, kindle in hand, I can’t hear the details as their dripping bodies get in line behind the swimming blocks. Constantly moving these […]
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Grace. I hear her invitation to come by the stream. When I feel off track, I come to dip my toe in. Enough grace to get me by. She whispers that she is in the waterfall. Seeing how much more I need of her cleansing, I let grace fall all over me. I’ll come I […]
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This quote hangs in our laundry room. When I open the washer to clothes that should have been in the dryer yesterday, or maybe the day before…I read my quote. I go there. I imagine the piles gone. I imagine 16 years from now. So far. So close. So unknown. Words have impact. These words […]
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Bedtime is approaching. We are knee-deep in lego play. I don’t fully follow the scenario we are acting. I quietly sort out people, we are on a search to assemble a Jack Sparrow like figurine. Most of the heads are yellow or peach. One brown one stands out. “Sam, who does this one go to?” […]
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Newlyweds. Our little tudor house in south Minneapolis waiting to be filled. “Let’s paint the dining room red!” It seemed to be a color of love and warmth and invitation. A promise of dinners shared just the two of us. Lively conversations with friends lingering over a shared meal. Those red walls held so much […]
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“And on that day when my strength is failing The end draws near and my time has come Still my soul will sing Your praise unending Ten thousand years and then forevermore” The words to this song echo in my mind. Burst forth in my heart. They can’t be sung loud enough. Over a thousand […]
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And this button if you would like to read last years:
