I am never sure what to say…

I am never sure what to saywhen justice is not.When lives are shatteredby those entrusted to protecta heart, a family, a community.A life.Cruelty is comprehensible,but what are we to saywhen the best option’s best efforts are not enough?When one’s good reason becomes another’s bad outcome?When the vulnerable are trampled underfoot, and we realize, to our […]

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When you’re having a sleepless night of the soul

When everything looks dark, your troubled soul won’t let you sleep, and you’re beginning to doubt everything you’ve ever believed to be true about God, don’t look back or pine for simpler days. Be brave and look the storm straight in the face. You might be surprised who you see walking ahead of you. Listen to the […]

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Who do you hate? And is it right for you to be angry?

“I am going to say something hard, and I am going to say it in love. I fear that many American Christians view Muslims the way Jonah viewed the Ninevites. But God loves them, and wants them to be saved… So what are we going to do about it? Are we going to align ourselves […]

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Wives, Submission, and Slavery, Oh My! A Sermon on the Household Codes

The household codes, where women, children, and slaves were told to submit to their husbands, parents, and masters, may be the most abused passages in all of scripture. This sermon looks at the cultural context those passages were written in, and points to a Jesus-oriented way of living together, where we lay down our power […]

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When you’re not good enough, and it’s okay.

Here’s a question. What makes you a good person? Or what do you do to try to be a good person, if you don’t feel like you’re a good person at all? There’s good news and there’s bad news. The bad news is that one of the things you do makes you a good person. You […]

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On Jesus, Violence, and Jordan Edwards

Somehow, I didn’t hear the news about Jordan Edwards until this morning. Another young life taken. Another grieving family, grieving school, grieving community. A horrific trauma inflicted on the other kids in that car. Another blow to police officers who are pouring their hearts and souls into building safer communities. I’m sad. I’m angry. I’m […]

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Long Days Of Small Things with Catherine McNiel

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No One Really Likes Quinoa, and Other Things Turning 40 Has Taught Me

As a child, I was the shy, sensitive, sickly girl who cried at the drop of a hat. Because I did not seem as physically or emotionally resilient as the children around me, I felt fragile by comparison. It turns out that I am not so fragile. In fact, I can be downright persistent when I […]

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Discussing DHYL on Faith Conversations with Anita Lustrea

Hey all! I got to visit with the wonderful Anita Lustrea on her podcast, Faith Conversations. We talked about everything from economics, to spiritual development, to sharing the gospel, to leaning into our callings. Check it out here!

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Beauty and Brokenness

I’ve heard the songs, the stories, the gooey, gushy narratives about the beauty in brokenness. God loves us just as we are, and there is no point in pretending we are any better off than we actually are. I’ve also heard the pushback. Is all this all this talk about brokenness just celebrating failure? Shouldn’t […]

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Budgeting for People Who Hate Budgeting: Bright Idea #42

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“Look for small ways to join in kingdom work”: An Interview with Heidi Wheeler

One of my favorite things about Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket is that I got to feature the voices of some of my favorite people in the book. Today’s interview is with Heidi Wheeler, a nurse practitioner and fellow Wisconsinite! Tell us about yourself, your family, and how motherhood and ministry connect […]

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Evangelicals, High End Hearing Loss, and the Art of Listening to Women

Every Friday, I meet my grandpa for lunch at a café near my work and his favorite bowling alley. It is a tiny, old school café with nary a soft surface to be found, and I sometimes feel self-conscious about the volume of my voice in those confines. The regulars sitting five tables away could […]

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Teaching Young Children about Social Justice: An Interview with Beth Bruno

One of my favorite things about Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket is that I got to feature the voices of some of my favorite people in the book. Today’s interview is with Beth Bruno. Enjoy! Tell us about yourself, your family, and how motherhood and ministry connect in your life. I live […]

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My Upcoming Book(let) on Taming the Tongue

Today has been a good day. It is the twentieth anniversary of my marriage to my wonderful husband Aaron (yay!!!), I’m still caught up in the excitement of the release of Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket, and I had a wonderful interview for a writing project that is coming down the pike. […]

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