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Why Say the Lord’s Prayer Together?
At the church where I work, we say the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday as a key part of the liturgy. At the church where I am a member and my husband is Lead Pastor, we have started saying the Lord’s Prayer as a way to conclude our services. This has been met with mostly positive Continue reading
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Accepting My Undone To-Do’s
Anyone who knows me knows I never go anywhere without my planner. If it isn’t in my purse, it’s siting open on my kitchen table. I never schedule anything without consulting it to prevent double-bookings or missed appointments. I jot down my passwords, grocery lists, and blog ideas in its margins. Every day I work 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 -
Scrolling Ourselves to Death
On April 10th of this year, a helicopter crashed into the Hudson River, killing everyone on board: a family of five and the pilot. Within minutes, my weather app sent me a notification to alert me of the crash and invited me to “tap to stay informed.” I am not a first responder. I have Continue reading
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“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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A Poem for the Day after Palm Sunday
I recently saw the sharp contrast between Palm Sunday and Passion Week described as “liturgical whiplash,” which seems just about right. The day following Palm Sunday always leaves me contemplative, struck anew by the fickleness of the crowd as they turn from cheering to jeering, from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify him!” But because we know how Continue reading
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Book Review: How Can I Make the Most of Sunday Services?
I received a copy of How Can I Make the Most of Sunday Services? by Erin Wheeler early this week. This was perfect timing, as it allowed me to read it in preparation for Sunday—which is exactly the point! (Plus, due to its brevity, it helped me get ahead on my GoodReads Challenge.) About & Continue reading
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January Recommendations
It’s a beautiful sunny day in Iowa—if you don’t step outside, that is. To help you get through the winter blues, here are a few recommendations for reading, listening, and learning. 1. This podcast that sparked my theological imagination. I regularly listen to Think Biblically, a podcast by my alma mater, Biola University. In a 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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Post-Election Reflection: “Return to the Gate”
My women’s Bible study is walking through Esther, which is a political tale if there ever was one. Covert plots, the rise and fall of leaders, executions, royal edicts, justice—this little book has it all! As we discussed chapter 6 today, I was struck by the following verse: “Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. Continue reading
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Ryanne Molinari 