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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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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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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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Don’t Hide Your Light GIVEAWAY!

Hey! Leafwood is giving away ten copies of Don’t Hide Your Light Under a Laundry Basket on Goodreads! Check it out here and enter for a chance to win. The giveaway ends on August 9th. (While you’re there, mark the book “to read,” or leave a review if you are one of those lucky folks […]

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Baseball, Beatitudes, and Being a Disciple.

“God is like a parent watching a little league game, beaming with pride every time his awkward little kid steps up to the plate. He’s not withholding his approval until we reach the major leagues—even when we miss the swing, God is yelling ‘Great try! Now square up and lift your elbow a little.’ Then he turns […]

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I’m a writer with dyslexia. And no, it’s not a joke.

It didn’t become a problem until second grade. Oh, it had always been there. I couldn’t figure out which hand to use, or how to hold a pencil. I read early, but I would read the same line over and over, unable to track down the page. Letters came out backwards, but I couldn’t see […]

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Free eBook! Busting the Motherhood Myth: A Mother’s Day Message for Everyone

Ah, the Mother’s Day sermon. The most feared twenty minutes of the year for pastors and female parishioners alike. Okay, maybe it’s not that bad (except when it is). Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to celebrate the women who have poured into our lives, and thank them for the day in, day out work […]

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Lay Down the Shame, and Embrace Jesus’ Sufficiency

Shame is a powerful thing that we don’t talk about a whole lot in the church. While it’s really important to be able to acknowledge and confess our sins, allowing God to deal with our shortcomings, it’s not unusual for healthy conviction to metastasize into this debilitating shame that keeps us cowering in the corner, […]

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Hosanna: Who Are You Looking To For Salvation?

Maybe you’re looking for political salvation–for a candidate who you believe could fix our country’s problems. Maybe you’re looking for relational salvation–for a magic bullet to heal broken relationships, or for prince or princess charming to come along and make you feel loved. Maybe you have Roman Empire-sized problems that you fear could destroy you […]

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A Prayer for St. Patrick’s Day

Here’s part of St. Patrick’s Breastplate, one of the most beautiful, enduring prayers of all time. Enjoy! Thanks to Kendra for designing it and making it available. Check out her blog for more beautiful printables.

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