writing
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Reading Roundup – January 2023
Curious what I read this month? Check out my GoodReads! Although I read eleven books this month, not every one was a winner. However, I did read several that are now on my favorites list! Check them out below: 1. Marmee by Sarah Miller I read this right after rereading Little Women and LET ME… Continue reading
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Protocol: A Short Story
It was colder in the ICU that morning than usual. Doing her best not to shiver, Dr. Matthews attuned her ears to what the hospital director was saying: “You can’t do anything.” It was a gut punch, too sudden and direct to absorb. She was familiar with these bleak words, often pronounced over flatlined patients.… Continue reading
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This Fear of Our Lord 2023
It’s popular now to pick a theme word for each new year instead of crafting a list of resolutions. As a lover of words, this idea appeals to me. And yet, the word I feel most drawn to for this year is far from the ordinary ones—joy and kindness, for instance. Instead, my theme word… Continue reading
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2022 Reading Roundup
I read 55 books this year. Here are a few of my favorites: 1. Historical Fiction: Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor I’ve been wanting to read this Civil War epic since high school, but was determined to find a vintage copy in a used bookstore. Finally, my hunt was rewarded. The Book Cellar in Grand Haven,… Continue reading
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Christmas Trees
I.Beside the road, browning in the breeze,Are th’unadorned and corpselike Christmas trees.Their severed stumps pine for forsaken sod,The rootless forest for a promised Rod. Dangling from a beam of their own bark,They wait in vain for cries of joy or “Hark!”In these rejected trees we find reversedThe truth that He who hangs as such is… Continue reading
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After a Children’s Christmas Service
Would the Light of the World have liked light-up shoes?Or eagerly volunteered to switch on the tree?Or struggled not to wiggle when asked to stand and sing? Would he sprint, unsteady, to the altarOr jump merrily from its step—Bowing midair lest He forgetUpon landing? We often consider Him as a baby With all His infant… Continue reading
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Every Saint a Singer
While recording a podcast earlier this week, I was asked: “Are all Christians required to sing?” I replied that yes, scripture indicates as much. Not every believer is called to music ministry as a vocation, but every saint is, fundamentally, a singer. The calls to song that punctuate scripture are not only directed to all… Continue reading
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Dry Land
Lately, I’ve been overwhelmed with writing projects and concert preparations. To-do lists cascade beyond the lines of my planner and onto post-it notes, phone reminders, and my journal, which no longer feels like a record of my life but an invoice proving my productivity. Yesterday, I came home from work emotionally and physically drained. I… Continue reading
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The Spirit Moves in Mysterious Ways…and then other times the Spirit is VERY Clear
This title really says it all. Yesterday, I had a moment of angst. I was hard at work on my book proposal when my laptop began to act up again. I’ve been ignoring its quirks for months now and, finally, had to admit it was time for an update. My workflow was disrupted for the… Continue reading
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Structural
Our little church is not so little anymore. Attending services still feels like a family reunion and newcomers have a hard time escaping without many handshakes (or hugs) and plates loaded with homemade snacks. I hope that our church maintains this small-church love, but there’s no doubt about it now: we are growing and need… Continue reading
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Nuggets of Hospitality
One year ago, my husband and I launched a young adults’ life group for our church. I spent the entire day preparing. I tidied every inch of our house and polished the floors—by far my least favorite chore. I unpacked every charcuterie board (it turns out that I have quite a few) and carefully arranged… Continue reading
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Hallmark Doesn’t Make Cards for That
Yesterday I searched and searched for a card, but could not find one suitable for this morning’s wedding—the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever attended. The bride was glowing, wearing a tee-shirt and wrapped in a beach towel. The groom wore a matching shirt and complementary towel. The wedding party wore swim trunks. It was a… Continue reading
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