Devotions
Reach Out – Matthew 26:38
I came across a news story not long ago about an extraordinary rescue at sea. A family had gotten caught in a riptide and was unable to make it back to shore. As they drifted further out, the parents frantically screamed for help. Holding their children above the waves, they flailed their free hands, desperately hoping to attract the attention of other beachgoers before it was too late. By God’s providence, someone did see them [...]
Plant Anyway – Ecclesiastes 11:4
I’ve always wondered why planting season and storm season coincide so precisely in the Midwest. As the weather warms up and the ground becomes ideal for seeds to take root, monstrous hail and tornado-producing supercells roll through. These storms wreak havoc on the plans of even the most experienced farmer. And for those wannabe gardeners like me, the threat itself—just the possibility of a storm—can keep us from planting at all. Yet planting must happen. [...]
Come – Matthew 11:28, Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 22:17
I’ve grown a little tired of putting on my “big girl pants” lately. Have you? Are you tired of saying, I’ve got this, I’ll take care of that, I’ll figure it out? Has it all been too much? Too many difficult decisions? Too many unexpected hurdles? Too many heavy loads to carry? Just put one foot in front of the other, the world says to us. Do the next right thing and all will work [...]
Spiritual Hooky – Psalm 116:7
Out the window, white blossoms float down through the windswept branches of the tall crabapple trees. They cascade to the ground in wild flurries. Spinning and turning, they beckon me until all I can think of is getting outside. I want to lean my shoulders against those sturdy, sap-covered trunks. To smell the sweet aroma. To feel soft petals litter my long, dark hair. But the battle between should and want is fierce. There’s too [...]
For Mom – Isaiah 49:15, 66:13
Being ‘Mom’ without having a mom can make not just Mother’s Day but any day of motherhood a bit difficult. Every new and happy milestone my children face often comes tainted with a smidge of grief, envy, fear, and even resentment. Every new season comes with unanswered questions too. What did she do when I was this age? How did she manage this situation? How did she discipline that behavior? What advice did she follow? [...]
A Near Miss – Psalm 46:1, Romans 8:31
A near miss. That’s what it was. The eighteen-wheeler barreled on down the road, but I sat there shaking. With white knuckled grip on the steering wheel, I felt a flood of gratitude mingled with that torrent of fear. I pulled at my seatbelt to remind myself, yes, I was okay. I’d gotten out of the way in time. I’d dodged, swerved, braked just enough to miss the truck. But the driver hadn’t even seen [...]
