I received two invitations this week. One was hand-delivered by the father for the wedding of his son. Weddings are always special, as they are full of love and family. They also serve as a reminder of God’s role in the union, as he established the institution that has impacted societies for millennia. Even when … More An Invitation
Sometimes forgetfulness is a blessing in disguise. Today, we looked deeply at a portion of the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6, focusing on the second of the two conditional phrases in that simple prayer. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Jesus is not asking me to pay the price … More When memory leads to sin
I have recently finished reading Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton. I’ve heard it quoted all my life, but never took the plunge in reading it. I will tell you, it’s not for the fainthearted. Long paragraphs, no white space, and complex ideas make it a challenge to read, but so worth the effort, for it is … More Born upside down
I’ve fallen prey. I cannot lie. I’ve used hashtags in my posts on Instagram and Facebook. It’s amazing how our culture influences us and changes us. I don’t think I could have told you what a #hashtag was in 2009, when I came back home after twenty years abroad; yet now they seem to move … More No hashtag needed
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) I am sure that most people who know of my work as a librarian would say that it’s a pretty good job; I mean, I get paid to sit around and read all day, right? If only I could say that I had … More Good Tired
My youngest left today to begin his final year in college. Where does the time go? The older they get, the more we treasure the special moments, and I’m grateful for the few weeks we had together out of an otherwise busy summer. During their younger years, we spent many a night playing games. After … More Games
Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. Psalm 37:1 Are you a worrier? It’s easy to do these days when you look at the news. What used to be problems in faraway countries, are so much closer to home. Evil has moved in next door and seems here … More Wait, don’t fret, it’s not over yet
You are smart, educated, well-rounded, able to carry on intelligent conversations and extremely self-reliant. Then, because you’ve said yes to God, you have been reduced to a state of infancy and illiteracy that requires the use of extensive body language just to ask where the restroom is located. Welcome to the mission field! Yes, they told … More Being needy
If someone gave a report about you, what would they say? In his letter to the Galatians, Paul was talking about how the believers in Judea hadn’t yet seen him, but they were hearing about him. “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God … More What would they say?
I scanned a bunch of old pictures the other night and came across this one from 1994. I was pregnant with our first child, and my parents had come to visit us. We were living in Syria. We took my parents all over the country and visited places that are now in ruins after seven … More Sitting on the Edge