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Thanks to My Endorsers
I spent 2023 learning about publishing and obsessively refining my book proposal for Spirit-Filled Singing: Bearing Fruit as We Worship Together. Then, when I had the joy of signing a contract with Crossway, I spent 2024 deep in drafting and revising my manuscript. Throughout 2025, I’ve had the delight of watching everything else come together—from Continue reading
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The Goodness of Gardening Friends
“All my flower beds are filled with this ivy,” I texted two of my friends this afternoon. “Should I pull it or let it be? It’s pretty but seems to be taking over…” I snapped a picture to accompany my text, hoping as I sent it that my friends would reply, “Oh, that’s a rare Continue reading
author, blogger, blogging about gardening, Christian friendship, church friends, faith, faith and friendship, faith and gardening, flowers, friends, friendship, fruit of the Spirit, Fruitful Worship, fruitfulness, garden, gardening, gardening and faith, gardening lessons, goodness, honesty, iowa, Iowa life, lawn, learning, midwest living, nature, pulling weeds, spirit-filled singing, weeds, writer, writing, yard work -
“O Come, O Come, Behold Emmanuel”: A Sonnet for Good Friday
I was reflecting on the “O Antiphons” today, those ancient prayers that inspired the familiar Advent carol, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” As it is Good Friday, though, I began to wonder how the Messianic titles of the “O Antiphons” might inform a consideration of the cross. As so often happens, this contemplative exercise produced Continue reading
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Review: The Story of Grace
I returned from a much-needed vacation in Arizona to the best sort of mail: book mail! The first book I dove into was The Story of Grace: An Exhibition of God’s Love by 19th-century Scottish poet and pastor Horatius Bonar. This reprint of a Christian classic provided marvelous devotional reading, particularly for the beginning of Continue reading
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Early Christmas Gifts + Road Trip Entertainment
Happy Thanksgiving week! Since this week marks the start of the Christmas season for many of us, I wanted to share a few recommendations to get you in the holiday spirit and—for those of you who are traveling—to help pass the hours. In the spirit of early Christmas, I’d like to give you a few Continue reading
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Review: “Ecclesiastes: Finding Meaning When Life Feels Meaningless” by Lydia Brownback
Ecclesiastes: Finding Meaning When Life Feels Meaningless is part of Crossway’s Flourish Bible Study series. The series author, Lydia Brownback, is an accomplished writer and conference presenter. Accordingly, she writes like a speaker—with a friendly and clear tone. She distills biblical information into an understandable and applicable format, making this study on Ecclesiastes a great Continue reading
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Review: “What is a Healthy Church?” by Mark Dever
What is a Healthy Church? by Mark Dever was first published in 2005 and the 2024 revised edition just came out—testifying to the continuing need for books on church health and the continuing influence of this book in particular. What is a Healthy Church? is part of the IX Marks series, which identifies and exposits Continue reading
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Book Review: “Send: Loving Your Church By Praying, Giving, or Going”
In Send: Loving Your Church by Praying, Giving, or Going, pastor and church planter Jim Essian identifies God’s vision for his global kingdom and helps Christians discern how they and their churches are equipped to fit into this vision. From sweeping panoramas of international missions to practical advice for serving our local communities, Send is Continue reading
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Finding Comfort in Smallness: Lessons Among the Oak Trees
I needed to go stand beneath my oak trees today, to be reminded of my smallness. No, to be reassured of my smallness. You see, I spend the bulk of my days alone: tidying my house, running, practicing music, planning services, reading, and, of course, writing. I love my life. It is ideally suited to Continue reading
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Eve’s Magnificat
For my latest paper, I’m doing a deep dive into Genesis 3:16 and the multiplication of Eve’s pain in childbearing. It was most interested to discover that, through the births and lives of Cain, Abel, and Seth, Eve is brought from hubris to humility. She greets Cain’s birth with triumph and pride in her accomplishment, Continue reading
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Publication Update
The last few months have brought wonderful opportunities for writing. Among these was the opportunity to pitch and write an article for The Gospel Coalition. I’m so honored that TGC chose to publish my little article and hope it encourages readers that a simple way to build one another up is to sing more old Continue reading
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5 Times Flannery O’Connor was an Introverted Icon
Last year, I read Brad Gooch’s marvelous biography of Flannery at a time when I felt (to be honest) very crummy about my writing. It was exactly the encouragement I needed. For instance, I found out that when someone asked O’Connor what if she collected anything, she replied, “Rejection letters.” Her bluntness was balm to Continue reading
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Ryanne Molinari 