When Pollen Preaches
What first seems like an aggravation can become a reminder that God is often at work through the very things we are tempted to resent.
Inspiration
“Which Color Do You Want?”
The little boy was already on this plane when we boarded. He has a backpack bigger than he is. And a stuffed animal. He is maybe seven years old.
We passengers can hear him talking to anyone within earshot. He is loud. He is chatty. He does not use an indoor voice.
The kid is nothing but friendly.
What’s Your Plumb Line?
Were the good ol’ days as good as we remember them? What do we worship in a secular world? We need to find a new plumb line.
Three Knots, No Excuses: The Lost Skill That Still Saves Lives
There was a time—not that long ago—when a man who couldn’t tie a knot was considered about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Today, we’ve got people carrying $1,200 smartphones, satellite GPS, and enough titanium gadgets clipped to their belt to look like a walking REI catalog… and they can’t tie a loop that won’t slip under load.
Bedside Manner: A Message from the Other Side
She helped people die. Or maybe you’d say she helped them transition to the other side—whatever that means. She’s not a big believer in “the other side.”
Either way, she’s been helping people pass away for a long time. She has seen more death than most.
Faith in the In-Between
In the silent, confusing days after the Crucifixion, the disciples wrestled with grief, fear, and doubt—yet God was already preparing the resurrection they could not yet see.
Ride ‘em Cowboy: Notes From a Grown-Up Little Boy
6 million Americans watched the historic event on television. The Orion spacecraft, named Integrity, is estimated to return to Earth at 8:07 P.M. The little boy who lives inside me can hardly contain himself.
Paid in Full—And Then Some
Because Jesus declared tetelestai—“it is finished”—we can live in the freedom of a salvation that is fully accomplished, not partially earned.
Life Itself
This morning I started thinking about you. Mainly, I was thinking about what you’re going through right now. Whoever you are. I don’t know you. I don’t know anything about you. But in a way we know each other because you and I aren’t that different.
To the Person I’ve Been Watching; A Field Guide to the 8.3 Billion of Us
I like you. I like everything about you. I like your smile. Your teeth, no matter how crooked. Your physical shape, no matter which shape that is.
The Taste of a Triangle; Learning to Taste the World in Small Bites
We walked into a packed Waffle House. All booths taken. Two cooks and two waitresses running offense. “Let’s sit at the bar,” said Morgan.
The Woman Who Heard the Light
The year was 1939. The month was September. Only days after World War II broke out. The woman was so moved to tears when she read the headlines of war in the papers. Her first thought was, “Another war?”
A World That Won’t Listen
In a world filled with moral confusion and noise, the book of Isaiah reminds us that God is still speaking—and our greatest need is to listen.
The Continental Divide
I’m in a hotel lobby. It’s breakfast. We are waiting in line for our gruel. Guests congregate around the coffee urn like puppies at the teat until they drain the urn and leave nothing but dregs for us tired, huddled masses.
The Princess and the Pinto Beans; Finding Hope in Aisle Four
I was blue. I had just watched the news. Wars were raging. Bombs were dropping. People dying. All God’s children were bickering over the price of rice in China in the rain.
Words in My Palm; Echoes from Ivy Green
I’ve chased you all over the US. I visited your grave in the Washington National Cathedral, I got chills there, too. I performed in a historic theater where you once lectured. Chills. I drove past the house where you died in Connecticut. Chills.
A True Writer
Dear Young Writers, You know who you are. You’re reading this on your phone, computer, tablet, or maybe a soggy newspaper you found in a gutter.
Quiet Courage in the Story of Moses
Though Moses stands at the center of the Exodus story, the quiet faithfulness of Miriam and Zipporah reminds us that God often advances His plans through people whose brief appearances carry lasting significance.
Dear Sean
“Dear Sean,” the notecard began. The handwriting was very neat. “My name is John. I’m 14 years old… And I know your really busy but my dad committed suicide like yours. Maybe you can tell me what to do or be my friend. Love, John.”
The Tough Girl
A little girl. I see her in hotel lobby. She is maybe 10 years old. She has her luggage with her. Her gait is severely uneven and labored. She is having a difficult time traversing the lobby.