I grew up in a “Christian” home with “Christian” parents. I put the word Christian in quotes because it was anything but Christian.
I’m Sorry, Thank You, and the Mystery of Grace
Every email to my children’s teachers the first three weeks of quarantine began with an apology.
Grow at the Movies: Troop Zero
When I saw the trailer for “Troop Zero,” featuring Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, and Viola Davis, I was instantly charmed and knew I wanted to watch it with my family.
Sufficient, Daily Grace
“But the Lord said to me, ’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
God Loves You, Even in Maycember
Several years ago, Jen Hatmaker’s Worst End of School Year Mom Ever made the rounds, describing the desperate limp toward the finish line that many parents experience. More recently, the Holderness family produced a video about “Maycember,” illustrating the feeling that parents have at this time of year – just as busy as Christmas, without the lights and the peppy music.
The Weight of Yesterday
On a recent Sunday in church, our priest quoted someone who once said, “Yesterday is the heaviest weight you can carry today.” He made sure to repeat the line for emphasis.As I let the quoted words settle, my mind wandered to my yesterday’s morning.
How to Save Teenagers for Eternity in Three Easy Steps
As a teen, my stomach sank whenever I boarded a plane. I wasn’t scared to fly, I was nervous about sharing the gospel with my seatmate. What could be more awkward than cornering the total stranger trapped next to you to inquire about their eternal destiny? Yet that’s what my evangelical preachers told me to do on flights.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Cost of Discipleship Today
Today the Episcopal Church celebrates Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, a founder of Germany’s Confessing Church movement, and forceful resister to Nazi dictatorship.
The Gob-Smacking Nature of Grace
The scene generally looks the same: after my older son and I pick up his brother at preschool, I have a choice to make. Do I take the shorter route, the one that winds down MacArthur and through the center of town, complete with stoplights and traffic and grit galore? Or do I take the back roads that take a few minutes longer but guarantees a glimpse of the magical view?
Dear Thomas, Thank You
Dear Thomas, As we celebrate your feast day today I can’t help but cringe when I think about the number of times I’ve heard people chide the use of your modern-day nickname “Doubting Thomas.” As much as I’d rather not admit it, I, too, have declared from the pulpit that it’s demeaning and unfair to emphasize your apparent skepticism surrounding Jesus’ resurrection.