01 Oct, 2015
Here we are in a popular, nice restaurant—a whole group of women from our church waiting to go to a women’s conference session this evening. We have all just arrived, thrown our suitcases into our rooms, and headed out to dinner before the first session. Things are great, until the service is slow.…24 Sep, 2015
When I don't actively intervene in my thought life, I am distracted all day by whatever is loud, whatever is urgent, whatever is convenient, whatever is flashy, whatever is on sale, whatever happens to be in front of my eyes. At the end of the day, I am no closer to the God of peace than I was when I began.…17 Sep, 2015
If someone made a movie about my life, there would be a few repeated themes: plan-making, good intentions, and clear expectations. In school, I expected to win tennis matches, please my teachers, date the guy I’d marry, and be accepted—with scholarship money—to the five colleges that received my application. Some of that happened. Some of it didn’t.…
10 Sep, 2015
I am sitting here waiting for the police to arrive at my house and inspect the shattered window to my beloved car. After a recent move it was filled with boxes of old and treasured books, making it a perfect target for burglary. While I sat laughing with friends, a stranger was breaking into my car right below us, turning what should have been a safe haven into a place of vandalism…
