Indholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2020 i Mornings with Jesus

I CONFESS THAT when I’m sitting in church on a Sunday my thoughts don’t always go in saintly directions. I’ll wonder why that mom can’t keep her kid from running up and down the aisle during worship, or why that guy wears the same jacket week after week—it could use some dry cleaning—or why the preacher takes 20 minutes to say something that could be said in 10. This is in church, mind you, when I’m supposed›to be thinking about God. I found a healthy corrective the other day as I was talking to one of my fellow choir members. “You know,” she said, “I’ve decided that if I’m not being paid to judge, I’m not going to judge. It’s as simple as that.” She should know. She works as…

LAST YEAR I JOINED A gym. I’d let too much time pass by without any regular exercise. It showed, in both my tight clothing and doctor’s bills. It was time to get back in shape. I began going to the gym three mornings a week. At first it was grueling, but soon physical benefits became apparent. The various machines and weights became as familiar as old friends. Then I fell ill and missed several weeks. When I finally was strong enough to return, the circuit seemed impossible. I gritted my teeth and forced myself to participate. My muscles screamed at me, and I was tempted to stop going altogether. But every time I went back, it became easier. The weights didn’t strain my arms and legs as much. And if…

GLORY ABOUNDED AT JESUS’S BAPTISM. The heavens opened as the Holy Spirit of God descended like a dove upon Him. Then God spoke of our Lord, claiming Him and encouraging Him with words of love. I can’t imagine a more beautiful scene of power and hope. But in the very next verse, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. It’s as if a giant pendulum swung from the best times possible to a great trial. Recently my daughter changed jobs, moving to an office where she would face challenges, at least for a while. I’ve been a mother for more than thirty years, and whenever I’ve see her heading into a trial, be it a childish quarrel at age nine or something…

IN THE NORTHWEST, PRECIPITATION CAN be part of the weather forecast for months at a time. When it’s not raining, the skies look like a flat gray sheet of metal. Some people, myself included, are deeply affected by the lack of sunlight. The condition is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and symptoms can manifest as depression and anxiety, among others. Some treatments involve special lamps and vitamin D supplements. I’ve tried them with little success. I’ve found myself crying often over nothing at all. One day, a friend said, “Look up. There’s a little spot of blue, right there.” I lifted my gaze to the dreary sky, and indeed, there was a speck of blue. I felt like I’d been thrown a lifeline. I stared at the tiny break in…

CONVERSATIONS WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE always filled with life lessons. While I was sharing lunch with my oldest granddaughter one Sunday, our server approached our table apologetically. A walking cast kept her from hurrying our order to us. My granddaughter—normally introverted and admittedly uncomfortable making conversation with strangers—piped up. “No need to apologize,” she said. “Feel better soon.” “Thank you,” the server said, a smile replacing her frown. I commended my granddaughter for her kindness to the server. My granddaughter replied, “It’s not that hard to be a decent person. You just have to think of someone else instead of yourself.” That line has stayed with me. It’s not that hard to be a decent person—her version of what Jesus taught. His scribes worded it this way: “Be kind to…

THE OTHER DAY, I WAS reminded of how much times are changing. I was talking with a wise and elderly friend of mine, a nun by the name of Sister Mary Kay. Last year, her community had to sell their retirement home, so now, instead of the older generation of nuns living together next door to their younger sisters, Mary Kay and the other elders are dispersed in a number of nursing homes run by strangers. Mary Kay, ever the optimist, is making the best of the situation and sees it as an opportunity to expand her sense of community. But she said the hardest part is that the fire code mandates that her door remain closed. After living life with an open-door policy in an environment where companionship flowed…

MY FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING has been pretty stressful. My coworker Crystal likes to remind me that most teachers don’t make it to their second year. I can believe it. Middle school is no joke. The funny thing is that I feel a kinship with my middle schoolers. I want to tell them, “I feel exactly as you feel right now! Weird. Uncertain. And a little scared.” But I also want to encourage them: “Middle school is a cuckoo-crazy season of life, but you are going to be okay. You may not feel great about yourself. You may be longing for a different life. But the good stuff is coming. Just give it a couple years. I know. I’ve been there!” Their story is still in the process of being…

I HADN’T RECOGNIZED MY LOVE for and dependence upon a predictable, daily routine until I lost it. For two years prior, I’d habitually risen at 5:00 a.m., spent an hour at the gym, returned home to enjoy my quiet time with Jesus, and then started work in my office. My husband and I ate our day’s larger meal together at noon, and then I returned to my office for several hours. Our move to the boat, immediately followed by a five-week trip overseas and then four weekends of traveling for speaking engagements, erased the word routine from my vocabulary. I yearned for the familiar and craved the security I felt it offered me. One morning I caught myself thinking, If only I could return to my old schedule, then everything…

I WOKE UP ONE MORNING with a headache from my stressful work the day before. My initial reaction was to cry out, “Jesus, please take away this pain!” A few minutes later when I rose from bed, my headache was gone just as easily as I’d cried out. There are times when answers to my prayers do not manifest as soon as I want them to, so it still surprises me when I experience instant relief from Jesus. But the New Testament is filled with stories of how Jesus showed compassion to the sick and suffering, and often they received their healing immediately. When Jesus touched the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law who was nursing a high fever, immediately the fever left her (Matthew 8:14–15). Or there was that instance when…

WHENEVER FRIENDSHIP BLOSSOMS IN MY life, I know Jesus is there. Each time I can point to a moment when I felt Jesus giving me the gift of true friendship. In the case of our next-door neighbors Lon, Jen, and their son, Owen, I even have a scar to remind me! I was cooking and began to clean the blade of a handheld blender. My mind was miles away—with my dad, who had just been hospitalized. In that moment, I cut my finger badly. My husband, Tony, rushed into action, knocking on our neighbors’ door, asking if they could watch our kids while he took me to the emergency room. Our very young children didn’t know Lon and Jen that well, but we knew they’d be safe. A minute later…

THIS VERSE IS A STRENGTHENING support when we face a difficult task. When a situation is too hard for us to handle. When we feel we can’t go on. It’s another version of nothing is too difficult for Him; nothing is impossible with God. It’s a shot in the arm sometimes. A power verse we gulp down like a vitamin smoothie. But sometimes what a verse doesn’t say is just as important as what a verse says. I was recently reminded that while I can do all things through Jesus, He never said I have to do it all. I’m the one who puts that kind of pressure on myself. Sometimes the thing He wants to give me strength for is speaking that powerful little word, “No.” I think women…

THE OTHER DAY, I HAD the pleasure of going for a walk with my good friend Lindsey. I had a hard time going up the hills because she was making me laugh so hard. I love her perspective. Neither of us is above sharing a humiliating story about ourselves if we think it will make someone laugh. It is a bond we share. Laughter is powerful. If I can make a few people laugh while I am figuring out this life-thing, if I can usher in some joy, if I make some friends hold their sides when I tell a story, I want to do that. Because joy lets us breathe. And we all need that. This journey of life can be difficult, but in the presence of the One…

“THANK YOU FOR INSPIRING ME. I was really blessed by your book!” Another reader sent me a message telling me how much How to Be a Happy Working Mom helped her. Of course, I’m always thrilled by the positive responses of readers, but occasionally, their messages remind me of how difficult it was for me to get published. Eighteen years ago, while I was still a young pastor’s wife and mom to two schoolchildren, I sent a book proposal to a publisher about my experiences as a mother. The publisher rejected my proposal, citing my “lack of marketability” as the reason. I admit, during that time, except for some magazine articles, I had no other published work to my credit. I was hurt by that rejection, but that didn’t stop…

BECOMING INTENTIONAL ABOUT MY PHYSICAL health required a change in my thinking. One of the most important changes was to assume responsibility for my eating behaviors and exercise. In times past, I made excuses and even blamed others for my habitual overeating. At a buffet-style restaurant, I’d say, “This place has far too many options. I’ll just have to try a little bit of everything.” At a friend’s house, I’d say, “This dessert is amazing. You’ve outdone yourself. You’ve forced me into eating a second helping.” I blamed the weather for my sedentary lifestyle: “I’d walk today if it wasn’t so cold (or hot, muggy, rainy, snowy, overcast) outside.” I played the blame game instead of assuming responsibility. Jesus taught about a servant who did the same thing. Rather than…

I FELL ON THE ICE earlier this year and injured my shoulder. My church family has frequently asked me for updates, offered help, and lifted me up in prayer. My shoulder has improved. I am thankful that I belong to a church who believes in the power of prayer. We lift up one another in prayer, but we also pray for others outside our church and community. Praying together for each other’s needs draws us closer to Jesus and binds us together as a church family. First Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to encourage one another and build one another up. A prayer list with people’s names and their concerns is printed in our church bulletin and updated during the week. This enables us to call people by name and make…

I MEMORIZED THESE VERSES AS a child and always thought of them as two complete thoughts that sum up the Christian imperative. Love God. Love others. It was not until I became an adult that someone pointed out to me that third essential part: love yourself. For me this is the hardest. And I believe it’s because, had I considered it at all when I was younger, I would have thought loving myself a vain, prideful thing to do. In other words, not a Christian thing. And I think that is a travesty. But that was my impression of Christianity. The emphasis was always putting others before yourself, not being arrogant or prideful or thinking too highly of yourself. Being a servant. The teachers in my faith community taught humility.…

“MAKE A U-TURN AND CONTINUE to the route,” my husband’s smartphone insisted. The GPS was angry with us because we’d pulled off the freeway to get gas. We appreciate the electronic map, but often our GPS misses the point. To reach our destination, we need to stop for gas, food, and bathroom breaks. We may also pause to take in beautiful scenery and enjoy the journey. Yet the mechanical voice scolds nonstop, trying to steer us to the target. Like the Jewish leaders Jesus spoke to in John 5, I desire eternal life. It’s a great goal. I want a new life after death. I want to reunite with loved ones. I want to spend forever in the presence of my Savior. Jesus acknowledged the Jewish leaders dug into the…

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHEN I lost my job, I decided to renew my attempts to start a home business. The extra time gave me an opportunity to learn how to make Christian journals and other gift books. In between interviews and applying for jobs, I immersed myself in the task of learning how to make my dream come true by watching videos and using craft books from the library. Jesus supplied me with ideas and designs, which was reassuring. After many tries, my handcrafted journals were ready to sell. My cousin, who started her own business, was my first customer and a huge encouragement. I rented space at flea markets and craft shows and started selling my wares. I didn’t sell much, which was discouraging. I was determined to not…

ONE OF THE NEW PROJECTS I took on this past year at my church was coleading a social justice study. We named the course “How Are We Called?” What I didn’t realize during the planning was that this seven-week class would work its way into my soul on a deep level. It offered me very personal and surprisingly new, answers to this basic vocational question. As the class was coming to an end, I helped initiate a new movement at our church. National organizations picked up on it, and soon there was movement in other parts of the country too. The pace and the spread of this new thing were out of my control, and every morning I had to keep coming back to the simple question, “Okay, Jesus, how…

CALIFORNIA’S RAGING WILDFIRES INCINERATED WHOLE neighborhoods so completely that there remained little visual evidence they’d existed. The ash was so fine it left only a dusting over the footprint of each lost home. Sobering as those scenes were, more sobering is the assurance that my sins have been incinerated; a fine layer of ash is all that remains—and that layer is blown away by the breath of Jesus’s mercy. Ash Wednesday ushers in Lent—a time of reflection, self-sacrifice, spiritual discipline, and fasting to prepare the heart for Easter. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our mortality (ashes to ashes, dust to dust) and our sinfulness but also that our mortality and sin have been conquered through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to custom, the ashes used to form…

WE ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF how Jesus protects us. Have you ever arrived late and realized if you had been on time, you could have been in an accident? Or felt uncomfortable and decided not to go somewhere? Or avoided someone or something you felt just wasn’t right? It wasn’t fate or luck; Jesus was protecting you. Jesus has wrapped His arms around me and protected me from harm, evil, illness, and death several times. A babysitter left me alone when I was four. A burglar came in and told me to watch television. He ransacked the house but didn’t harm me. Once a tornado damaged other houses in my neighborhood but spared ours. A man tried to break into my car one night when I stopped at a traffic…

I USED TO MAKE A list a mile long of New Year’s resolutions. I would write things like lose fifty pounds, play Rachmaninoff ’s Prelude in C-sharp minor, become fluent in French, run a half marathon, memorize the book of John. When it came to the end of the year, I usually felt like a failure, but then I’d start over with a new list for the new year. Then I observed my own kids. One day, I laid my baby on her tummy. She got stronger, and soon she was sitting up. Rocking and scooting turned to crawling. And after that, pulling up. Within a year she took her first step. I taught them music starting with middle C. Then we moved on to basic rhythms and sharps and…

I READ HEALTH AND FITNESS magazines during my trips to the hair salon. One day while waiting to be served, I read an article about food addiction. The writer shared her battle with obesity and went on to say that many addictions are due to family genetics. I thought of my family and the variety of food, drug, and emotional habits that some family members have overcome by the power of grace. The hymn “Amazing Grace” should be my family’s official anthem. Through many dangers, toils, and snares we have already come. ’Tis grace that brought us safe thus far and grace will lead us home. My uncle Jay is one family member who has been transparent in sharing his struggles. For five years, he was plagued by a debilitating…

A FRIEND OF MINE IS an image consultant. She helps clients sort their clothes, decide what to keep and what to discard, and shop for new items. Together they develop a personal wardrobe that complements the client’s skin tone and body type and reflects his or her personality. Did you know the Bible mentions wardrobes? Take Lazarus’s story. He was buried wearing graveclothes designed for the dead. His outfit was appropriate for the occasion, but it became outdated the moment Jesus brought him back to life. “Unwrap him,” Jesus commanded. In other words, strip off the old and don the new—clothes fit for the living. As believers, we ought to pay attention to our spiritual wardrobe. Colossians 3:5–9 describes our grave clothes prior to placing our faith in Jesus: sexual…

OUR SEVENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAD WAS EXPERIENCING shortness of breath, and we rushed him to the hospital. A 2-D echo test was ordered, and in the examination room I saw a sonogram of the heart for the first time. I was struck with awe as I saw the images of my father’s heart and heard it beat as it pumped rhythmically. A line from Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love came to mind: “The majority of us take for granted our kidneys, liver, lungs, and other internal organs that we’re dependent upon to continue living.” How very true. It’s not until we experience a sharp pain or have difficulty breathing that we become concerned. We forget that our lives are a vapor, and we can die at any moment. My father was treated…

BEING A MILITARY FAMILY, OUR daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren lived in three different states in 2017. In November, my husband and I helped them move across the country. During a FaceTime call a few weeks later, Lilah, our three-year-old granddaughter, begged us to come visit again. “Nana and Paw Paw, can you come home?” I almost cried at Lilah’s invitation, partly because it was so sweet but also because the word home stirs up mixed feelings. When asked where I’m from, I often say I’m not really sure. Is home where I spent the first thirty years of my life? Or the state where we raised three children and lived for another thirty years? Since then, my husband and I have lived in three other states. So where exactly is…

EVERY TIME I READ THIS Scripture I get excited: Jesus knows my name! I am important to Him! One day, I decided to look up the meaning of my name. According to several websites, Tracy means brave, fighter, or warrior, but my mom wasn’t thinking of any of those meanings when she named me. As she tells it, the story went something like this: “Sammy Davis Jr.’s daughter’s name was Tracy. I’d never heard the name before, and I liked it.” So there was nothing deep about how I got my name. Although there may be no truth to the claims of baby name origins, I have decided to declare that I am a brave fighter-warrior. Fear was my constant companion so many times in my life, and I allowed…

I GLANCED AT MY WATCH from my perch on the organ bench. Fifteen minutes until the church service would begin. I checked the organ stops, adjusted the bench, and rearranged my music. I’d prepared a challenging prelude and was nervous about a few of the hymn arrangements. The pews were filling. Murmured conversations floated in from the lobby, and the pastor settled his sermon notes on the pulpit. The worship service flew by, and I held the last chord of the postlude, releasing it with a flourish of satisfaction. Until it hit me. I’d spent the past hour preoccupied with the tasks involved in a church service and hadn’t even acknowledged the holy presence of Jesus. I was busy in my service to Him yet missed out because my focus…

SOMEONE TOLD ME, “SHOW ME your calendar and I’ll show you who you are.” That’s stuck with me, and convicted me. I think of myself as a person who spends time wisely on what matters. So when my schedule gets full of meetings and work/writing deadlines, I have to adjust for family time: drinking coffee with my parents; carving out time for my husband and my kids, including reading to Stella, fishing with Harper, piano with Adelaide, running with Grace. As I follow Jesus around through the Gospels, one thing that interests me most is how He spends His time. His calendar gives us a clear picture of who He was. He’s visited by shepherds. A man who eats locusts prepares the way for His ministry, and His best friends…

I HEARD HEART-WRENCHING SOBS AS I walked down the hospital hallway. A distraught mother sat alone in the waiting room, crying and calling out to Jesus. I knew who she was. I was a pharmacy technician and had just been to her son’s room to get his orders. I’d cringed when I flipped through his chart. Diagnosis: Alcohol Overdose. Condition: Critical. He lay deathly still amid tubes, wires, catheters, and monitors in the ICU. Now as I passed by and heard the mom’s cries, I knew that I should go pray with her, but I was too upset. I felt guilty. That could be me. My twin sons were the same age as her boy. I should’ve offered to pray with her. Dear Jesus, please heal him. Give me the…

A FRIEND SENT ME A pretty graphic with the statement “Those who put everything in God’s hands eventually see God’s hand in everything.” I’ve also heard, “Pray and pay attention.” I’ve been a Christian for a long while now, yet the tangible proof of these maxims has only recently come fully to life for me. I now see Jesus answering my prayers so plainly and undeniably it often fills me with quiet awe. I’ll ask Jesus a very specific question and soon see answers everywhere: A friend unexpectedly shares a relevant experience that answers my prayer. A series of disconnected devotionals or podcasts echoes a theme. A door closes or opens decisively. Why now? Is Jesus suddenly answering my prayers more than before? Am I praying “better” somehow? Well, yes.…

OUR SOCIETY IS RAPIDLY ADOPTING attitudes and behaviors contrary to Jesus’s teachings. I struggle with knowing how to respond. Politely posting my opinion about controversial issues has prompted strangers to leave scathing comments and call me names. Fear engulfed me the first time this happened. Oh no! I didn’t mean to offend anyone. What should I do? Maybe I should delete the comment and ban that individual from future contact, but then he’d feel even more offended. I asked Jesus for wisdom. He reminded me that He offended others too. Even those who professed to be His disciples disagreed with His teachings. Others flat-out rejected Him and walked away. Offending others when standing for truth is inevitable. People interpret our words through their upbringing, their personal experiences, their woundedness. Their…

I’M A KID AT HEART. And what child doesn’t love a kaleidoscope? I know I do. Nestled on my porch rocker, I peek through the lens of a child’s toy, watching colors and shapes dance and play. As I twist the tube, patterns transform and change. Blue chips blend with red to become an irresistible violet. Yellows harmonize with aquamarines, a flower one moment, a sparkling crown the next. In my mind’s eye, I see another picture reminding me how different we are as individuals and especially as Christians. Each of us adds something new to this everchanging creation, displaying the touch of the Master’s hand. One might resemble the bright yellow chips as he visits bedridden members of his church; another, the soft green bit as she calms babies…

MY HUSBAND JOKES THAT MY mind is a scary place. My thoughts dart from subject to subject. I’m prone to spinning out imaginative possibilities. Because of my busy brain, I often think of potential obstacles and solutions before I encounter them. That can be a gift, since it helps me be prepared. However, sometimes my mind lingers on potential problems, and I spin myself into worry. Dwelling on worst-case scenarios can bring unnecessary stress. Whether our stressors are imaginary (all the what-if worries that never come about) or real and overwhelming (job loss, illness, fractured families, natural disaster, etc.), there is One who is our Rock, One who is not thrown into despair by the hugeness of our needs or fears: Jesus. Keeping our mind stayed on our Savior can…

I GO TO CHURCH TWICE on Sunday and again on Tuesday night. Occasionally we have additional services such as revival, our church anniversary, and other celebrations. It doesn’t seem excessive to me; however, some of my family members and friends think I go to church too often. They tell me going to numerous weekly services so frequently is not necessary to serve Christ. They don’t understand that I love going to church to assemble with the saints, to hear a Word from the Lord, and to worship Jesus Christ. I am fine with the multiple weekly services. Sometimes I may be tired or not feeling my best, but I go to support the ministry. When I do go to church, I always leave feeling energized, empowered, and encouraged. I prefer…

AS MY MOM STEPPED INTO the grocery store one day, a man coming out paused and said, “You have the most peaceful-looking face. You look like you don’t have a care in the world.” My mom answered, “That’s because I gave them all to Jesus!” I understand that you can’t always tell how a person feels on the inside by looking at her facial expression, but then again, sometimes you can. That man’s comment didn’t surprise me in light of recent phone conversations I’d had with my mother. But he might have been surprised to know that when I was growing up, my mother qualified as a worrier—like I tend to be today. My dad passed away in 2016, the day before my parents’ sixty-ninth anniversary. Naturally widowhood has made…

THERE IS A LONE BLUE heron that visits the lake on the trail I walk. It comes and goes throughout the year. It’s the only one of its kind among the ducks and geese. The fact that it’s a loner doesn’t stop it from coming to the lake periodically. Sometimes I look at it and feel sorry for it. Does it feel lonely? Maybe it just hangs out at the lake every now and then for nourishment. We seem to be alike, the heron and I—socially awkward. In a crowd of familiar or unfamiliar faces, I sometimes feel as if I don’t belong or I feel lonely. If you invite me to your party, I will come, but I already have my escape mapped out. Sometimes I just don’t know…

WORDS MATTER. TO THE AUTHOR—AND to readers. Finding the exact word is a writer’s constant quest. Jesus was brought before Pilate. The council—jealous, angry, and afraid of losing its standing—tried fiercely to persuade Pilate, insisting that Jesus was dangerous, that His ministry should be stopped. At the cost of His life, if necessary. The Bible tells us they became so desperate they chose a word they knew Pilate would react to. Riot. Jesus had—in their words—been “causing riots everywhere.” Is that what He’d been doing? He certainly drew crowds. Most in those crowds returned home healed, amazed, faith-filled, or wanting to hear more. He caused a lot of wonder and soul-searching. He pricked a lot of consciences. But He rarely raised His voice. It was the doubters, the stubborn, and…

THERE ARE TIMES IN LIFE when we’re not sure how we’re going to make it. When I found myself overwhelmed by staggering credit-card debt, I turned to Jesus for help. My prayer was quick and to the point: “Help me, Lord!” I was forced to confront my lack of discipline, such as shopping weekly for unnecessary clothes. While I only purchased sale items, my credit cards’ interest rates required me to pay more than the clothes were worth. Then there were my tithes. Some months I would give. Other months, I used every dime from my paycheck to pay bills . . . and buy small luxuries like nail polish and pricey lattes. In daily prayer, Jesus gave me specific instructions to reduce my debt. I started tithing and increased…

MY HUSBAND’S A THIEF. EVERY night as he lays sleeping, he steals the covers. When I try to pull them back over me, his hold tightens to a viselike grip. I lie there shivering on the outside and steaming on the inside, yanking with all I’ve got for an extra bit of blanket. I, in turn, snore up a storm, leaving my husband’s nerves as frayed as an old pair of jeans. He shushes me and sometimes it works. Every morning we wake, innocent smiles shining past the bags beneath our eyes, clueless to the midnight battles we’ve waged. We can’t stay angry. We love each other. Our nightly struggle reminds me of how Jesus loves me and forgives my sins, even those I’m unaware of. In His infinite grace,…

MY HUSBAND LOVES OUR TWO cats. He buys them cat food and sardines. He carries them close to his chest and pets them. I don’t have the same affection for felines as he does, but I do feed them. One morning as I opened a can of sardines, they ran toward me meowing loudly. They milled around me, obviously hungry, and couldn’t wait to be fed. Our hungry cats remind me of how we should be hungry for God’s Word. Jesus fed those who came in contact with Him, physically and spiritually. He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” While He was here on earth, Jesus explained portions of the Old Testament. He revealed new truths about…

I DISCOVERED MY LOVE OF writing in junior high. I wrote stories about girls who wore purple eye shadow and teal mascara. (I was forbidden to wear eye makeup until high school.) I poured all my angst into those stories. Writing became my creative outlet and safe place. Jesus has an unpredictable way of bringing our dreams full circle. Here I am, decades later, teaching junior-high schoolers how to write, unleashing dreams and potential. I’m offering a space of creativity along with a side of homework. I’m pretty sure that purple eye shadow and teal mascara are a thing again. What are the odds? When I started looking for a job this past year, I wasn’t even thinking of teaching. I was looking into administrative work and writing content for…

IN LUKE 19 WE LEARN ABOUT ZACCHAEUS, a tax collector who was so short he had to climb a tree to see Jesus as He was passing through Jericho. When Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus, Jesus immediately invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s house! The people in the crowd didn’t think Zacchaeus was worthy of Jesus’s attention. In their eyes Zacchaeus was just a sinful tax collector. But it didn’t matter what they thought because Jesus thought Zacchaeus was worthy of both His presence and salvation. I’m so grateful that Jesus cared about me enough to save me. He willingly gave His life for mine. And it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Anthony Brown and Group Therapy’s song “Worth” brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it because…

“WALK THIS WAY,” THE BUTLER said. Then he proceeded to limp his way noisily across a foyer. The visitor who followed did the same, mimicking his limp/stomp/limp/stomp, hunched over, listing-to-one-side posture. A classic comedic moment. Most credit the scene’s origin to the movie Young Frankenstein, but the comedic gesture first appeared in the 1936 movie After the Thin Man. The literalism of the follower’s response added the layer of humor. How different the scene when Jesus is the one instructing, “Walk this way.” He means it. Literally. Stepping into His footprints, walking like He walked. Offering a kind word. Stooping to heal and bless. Moving among the hungry and thirsty, offering the Bread of Life and Living Water. Rising early to be alone with the Father to pray. Forgiving those…

GRANNY’S MEATBALL RECIPE IS A family favorite. I tried to duplicate it today and got close. But I’ve never quite mastered her flavors. Years ago, I sat at her kitchen table with my notepad and pen. “How much milk? How much bread?” I asked her. She shrugged and answered, “Until it feels right.” Then as she made the roux, she said, “Add butter until it’s a good thickness.” She didn’t measure, but she had a relationship with the ingredients. Her experience and her interaction with the food—the way it looked, felt, sounded, smelled, and tasted—produced amazing meals. As a follower of Jesus, I’d prefer a quick recipe for living my life with Him. Mix a third of a cup of service with a third of a cup of worship, stir,…

UNTIL RECENTLY, FEAR HAD BEEN the Achilles’ heel the enemy used to hinder me. In my spiritual battle against fear, one acronym is a handy weapon: False Evidence Appearing Real (FEAR). A subtle foe, fear sometimes shows up as rational caution, common sense, or legitimate concern. Apart from truly legitimate fears, like fleeing a burning house or falling off a cliff, many of our fears are hidden in half-truths or unknowns. But if you give fear an inch, it’ll take a yard or more. I’ve noticed a common thread when fear crops up: some smidgen of fact—a phone call, letter, doctor’s report, or some other seemingly concrete evidence—will promptly lead to a sense of foreboding. I used to give myself over to dread and worry, assuming the worst. But I’ve…

THE FAITH COMMUNITY IN WHICH I grew up focused on following religious rules. Card games were banned, as were movies and dancing. I was pulled from gym class when the teacher introduced square dancing. After high school graduation, I attended a Bible college with a strict adherence to rules. Contemporary worship music was forbidden, as were earrings and makeup. Speaking to a student of the opposite sex without permission almost guaranteed a visit to the dean’s office. For years I equated being a good rule follower with being a good Christian. Over time, Jesus revealed the error in my thinking. When He extended an invitation to someone, He never said, “Come, follow a long list of rules designed to make you a better Christian.” He said, “Come, be My disciple.…

I’M A DREAMER. I INHERITED this questionable “gift” from my father, a child at heart. Whenever his eyes took on that faraway look, I knew he was somewhere wonderful, a million miles away. Now I know this because I go there too. Long ago, a myriad of ideas danced inside my head. I wanted my own inn. The next year I wished for a vintage car. Like soap bubbles floating free in the breeze, all those dreams drifted off and disappeared. And the goals I did achieve left me no happier than before. Like the saying “Life happens,” it did. Boy, did it! After a few setbacks and a lot of time, I gained a deeper understanding of contentment. I learned the difference between a want, a need—and a wish.…

DO YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF uncertain of how to console someone who is going through a difficult time? Today I spoke with someone who is in a difficult emotional place. She doesn’t live near me, but whenever I speak with her about her problems, I want to run to her and wrap my arms around her to erase her pain. At times I get confused as to how to reply. Do I need to offer words of comfort every time we speak, or does she just need to talk? Quietly I will ask Jesus for a word of encouragement to give to her. Do I say some popular Scripture that can almost appear to be trite? I want to comfort and encourage her but not be so busy giving encouragement…

ONE SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH, MY husband’s aunt requested his help with a leaking faucet. Since we had plans to visit a new Thai restaurant for dinner, I went home to wait on Mick’s return. The time to repair his aunt’s plumbing took longer than expected. And as I sat on the couch waiting, my stomach began to growl from hunger. I had two options. I could cook dinner or jump in the car to purchase our meal at a nearby fast-food restaurant. Neither option was desirable. Right when I opened a carton of milk to prepare a bowl of cereal, the phone rang. It was my neighbor Mrs. Mack. “Alice,” she said, “I made rutabagas and corn bread for Mick and you.” I thanked her, slipped on my shoes, and…

I SPENT FOUR DECADES PRAYING a prayer Jesus didn’t want to answer. My prayer was framed by what I knew was possible, not by reliance on the limitless creativity of Jesus. The always faithful One knew He should ignore my idea and go with His own plan! A strip club stood at the edge of town, a disturbing first impression. Its presence was a constant reminder of the depravity of humankind, destructive choices, threats to marriages, and a host of other ungodly activities. My prayer? Lord, would you burn that place to the ground? One lightning strike is all it would take. Storms—and years—came and went. Nothing. Then Jesus showed His Hand. First, several women from our church were impressed to show love to the women who worked at the…

MY MOTHER STILL DRIVES AT eighty-one years old. She’s steady at the wheel. However, one day she was so caught up loading her car for our road trip that she left her purse and Bible on top of her luggage rack as she started her car. We zipped to my speaking engagement at a rural church, just outside the city. When we arrived, Mother moaned, “I left my purse and Bible on top of the car!” During my presentation at the church, I couldn’t focus on my talking points about faith. I imagined Mother’s checkbook, cash, and credit cards in the hands of a city rogue. After the event, a church member approached me. She explained that during my presentation, the fear in my eyes and stress in my voice…

I MET MARGARET B. AT a mission hospital in Nepal in the eighties. By that time, she’d already served thirty years as a trained midwife. She was old enough to be my mother, yet she became my dear friend. Her love for people was one of the characteristics that intrigued me most. That love led Margaret from a comfortable life in England to a sacrificial life in Asia. She lived in a house without electricity or running water. She trekked more miles than we’ll ever know to help women in isolated villages safely deliver their babies. She invested countless hours doing prenatal checkups and deliveries. In fact, she assisted with the births of my first two children. When my second child was born with hydrocephalus, Margaret did everything in her…

A PINE TREE WE ESTIMATED to be more than one hundred years old is on the ground in our yard. Sixty or seventy feet tall when upright, it was felled by an eight-inch-tall squirrel. And his or her nesting instincts. One day we noticed wood chips at the base of the tree. Thirty feet up was a massive squirrel condo—without a permit. Evidence of woodpecker damage suggested the squirrels had help. But the elbow room the squirrels created in their penthouse destroyed the tree’s integrity. Its core. We had to cut it down before it fell and took with it other trees or our house. Our family once pondered a career decision for me. The job would’ve provided financially but would’ve kept me from God’s plan. What did we need…

THE MEDICAL REPORT I RECEIVED was discouraging. Since my last annual visit, I’d gained weight and lost bone mass. My doctor examined my blood work. He said, “You need to change your daily routine.” Diabetes and heart disease have plagued my family for several generations. According to the doctor, these illnesses would be my fate and devastation if I did not lose twenty pounds. I worked a full-time job. My hours after work were dedicated to writing books. Hours before work were set aside for my morning devotion and quiet time with Jesus. How would I fit daily exercise in my schedule? Wake up earlier? Yes! It was the only way. And with my alarm set for 3:30 a.m., I rose before the sun to drive to my neighborhood gym.…

EVERY TIME I SEE THIS verse, I read it twice. Usually I’m able to absorb the wisdom and conduct my life accordingly. But sometimes it’s like the mirror mentioned in James 1:23–24, and I forget this truth as soon as I step away. How I wish these precious words stayed with me longer. I wasn’t always afraid, but during my teens, I learned life can be complex and unfair—and ugly. I’m not alone. Many of us bear wounds that leave us vulnerable and anxious at times. Now, when fear and shame engulf my spirit and I sink beneath the weight of those emotions, I cry out in faith for rescue. Jesus yanks me free from the darkness entangling me. How can these transgressions—most of which I was a victim to—have…

I’D WAITED ANXIOUSLY TO FIND out who’d won the writing contest. I’d prayed and asked God to help me win so that I could use the prize money to go to a publishing conference in Brazil. With the registration fee, airfare, and hotel, the trip was going to be expensive. I truly believed that God would provide the contest money, so I was discouraged after I lost. But I really wanted to go to the conference, so I asked Jesus to increase my faith. I decided to be more open and submissive to His ways and means. The following day, I checked with the bank about a friend’s love offering. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that not only had the money been deposited into my account, but it was…

I WAS WORKING AND WAS suddenly flooded with shame. In the midst of preparing a presentation for my fellow chaplains about the use of the Hebrew Bible in pastoral work, I felt completely unworthy to offer anything; I was convinced that I would end up humiliated in my efforts. And then a memory floated back to me. In my mind, I heard the voice of a friend who had faced ovarian cancer, telling me how much Psalm 116 meant to her. I let go of my slideshow and my fretting. I went to read Psalm 116 in a translation by Nan C. Merrill called Psalms for Praying. Enveloped by the psalm, I was instantly comforted—by the spiritual accompaniment of my dear friend, by the translator of this edition of the…

MY YOUNGEST GRANDDAUGHTER, RUTH, IS a week away from her third birthday as I write this. This petite blue-eyed blondie loves helping her mommy in the kitchen. When she isn’t standing on a stool to stir whatever’s in a mixing bowl, she’s practicing her organizational skills on her five older siblings or playing mommy with her doll or younger brother. My daughter-in-law, Cheryl, posts pictures of the kids on Facebook. A woman who’s known Cheryl her entire life often comments, “Ruthie acts and looks just like you did at that age.” The fact that Ruth mirrors her mom’s looks and personality as a child isn’t surprising. After all, they share DNA. A resemblance between mom and daughter is to be expected, but it’s fun to see the degree to which…

A FRIEND’S DAUGHTER MET HER husband while serving as a missionary in India. Now they’re serving together. I’ve known Victoria since she was born but only recently met Ronen. I was excited when I got to spend time with them on their recent trip home. I asked Ronen to tell me about his life. It was a fascinating story. He was born in Israel to Romanian parents and then immigrated to the US as a child. His mother is Jewish and his father is Catholic, and in college he became a believer in Jesus. He told me this story: “I was in a fraternity. Life was stressful. There was one guy who was peaceful no matter what. I wanted that.” He asked the guy how he could be peaceful when…

SPORTS OFFER ENDLESS INSTRUCTIVE ANALOGIES. Even the apostle Paul recognized it! Endurance is a major athletic theme, whether for the Olympian or my thirteen-year-old Pierce’s basketball league. I’m amazed by the amount of heart these kids muster, win or lose. Endurance is more than just trudging to the finish line and collapsing in a heap. Endurance is playing your heart out until the very end, whether you’re ahead by twenty points or losing. I watch with awe when there are seconds on the clock and the coach calls a time-out. My son’s team huddles for instruction on how to finish strong no matter what. We parents and fans, the witnesses in the bleachers, cheer on our team, regardless of the final score. Jesus endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2) and the…