Good morning... One friend is a beloved member of four women's ministry classes at Northside Church, two weekly, one monthly, and our summertime study group. This morning, she heads into total hip replacement surgery. Our groups have formed a circle of support around our friend, texting encouragement, lifting prayers, believing in God's power to heal. Over the past [...]
Good morning... During the dark night of our soul, we slow down to simplify everything. Do not chase. Simply bloom. Stay rooted in Christ. Grow in grace. Trust God's timing. What belongs, He will bring. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through [...]
Good morning... Yesterday's post contained the word unfurl. That's a active, little word. Sails and scrolls. Flags and fern fronds. Buds and butterfly wings. These things unfurl. Today in my reading I meet a similar, small word. Unfold. "We sometimes mourn how certain things in our life unfold," writes Paula D'Arcy on page 26 of Waking Up [...]
Good morning... As I stroll into our summer reading of Henri Nouwen's Here and Now, I meet these words on page 43. "Joy and hope are never separate. I have never met a hopeful person who was depressed or a joyful person who has lost hope." I think to myself, "Actually, I think I am a hopeful person [...]
Good morning... Yesterday, our Thursday class met for our first monthly gathering of the summer. We celebrated a special seventieth birthday, with a homemade cake and candles, balloons and flowers, cards and gifts. We caught up on our stories. Stories of babies born and concerns for our aging parents. Stories of painful health issues and the frustration of [...]
Good morning... As a kid, I remember the summer season starting Memorial Day weekend, as we finished the school year, and ending on Labor Day weekend, before we returned to school. Now as an adult, I wonder, "When does summer really begin?" Googling the question I learn a few new things. Actually, the summer season can be tracked [...]
Good morning... On May 14th, we got our son Kyler's first text at 2:14 am. "At the hospital! Pray for us. Chandler is doing amazing." I wrote our blog post in the middle of the night, sharing their request for prayers, then I headed back to bed for my second sleep. At 9:00 am, his next text came [...]
Good morning... On Mother's Day morning, I received this photo, one of my favorites of all time. It's the mother-son dance at Kyler's wedding nearly four years ago. Now our first born son will soon have his first born son, what a regenerative gift from God. "Happy Mother’s Day!" his wife Chandler texted me on Sunday. "Love this [...]
Good morning... She wrote me a simple email yesterday: "iAmSon's 'Slow Down' song came to mind again, today, after your post. Enjoy!" I had never heard the song before, so searched for it on YouTube. It's quirky, with a choppy, methodic rhythm, the rhythm of bare feet slowly walking. I thoroughly enjoyed the lyrics and the music video, [...]
Good morning... After reading our blog post entitled Journeying With Cancer, a friend pulled out the words above. "This paragraph especially 'spoke' to me today," she wrote, "when I'm feeling frustrated with not being able to 'keep up' with my own expectations." Within the hour, another friend texted me the image below. [...]
