Posts tagged “Joy”
Flowers … again!
When the long Michigan winter finally lets go, I notice little shoots in my garden—even as the snow is still melting. Usually it’s the…
Sometimes your only job is to show up
A dear couple from our congregation had invited me to attend and witness the adoption of their two precious boys. They had been working…
Sans everything, with joy
In ninth grade, I had to memorize Shakespeare’s “All the world’s a stage” speech from As You Like It. In it, the Bard describes…
God’s spacious place
“When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be…
A good, quiet life
The apostle Paul wrote this to the Christians living in Thessalonica: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your…
Your future self: Hope for the New Year
I love New Year’s! It’s a time of forgetting what is behind and pressing on toward what’s ahead (Philippians 3:13 paraphrase). A time of…
What you really need
The paralyzed man probably thought, “If I could only walk, then I’d be happy.” Four friends carried him to the teacher. Jesus looked at…
God is punctual
Just 30 seconds. That’s how much later I checked in for the flight online than all the other passengers reserving their boarding positions on…
The new you is hidden
Some years my New Year’s resolutions are clear and focused. This year they’re hidden, which actually makes them more impactful and hopeful. Here’s how:…
Every day is the last day
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). I love my kids and all, but…
Made new
We recently remodeled our office. This involved new wallpaper and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to create my dream library, as well as a space for my…
Is God stingy?
I know the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, but I am impatient when he doesn’t answer my prayers the way I…