Loving the Inbetweeners
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35, NIV) I had a conversation the other day with a local store clerk who just loves Soren’s cheeks. When she asked where Noah was that night and I told her that he was playing at a worship night she was taken completely aback. When she asked if we were Christians I said yes, explaining Noah was a pastor. She then remarked, “Wow. But you two are always so funny and loving and normal seeming. I mean,...
Read MoreA “Long Story Short” Shorts the Story
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3: 17-18) Have you ever walked in to a group of people telling a story and all you hear is the last line and everybody laughs? The summer in which Noah and I were camp pastors at Cascades we had a moment like that at the beginning of the summer. We had a bunch of staff over to our trailer for a movie night and as we were...
Read MoreHeart and Mind (and Braiinnnsss)
“The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10, NIV ) So, in case you haven’t noticed there have been a serious rash of zombie movies that have over taken our theaters in recent years. There is this obsession with the idea of half-humans taking over our world, eating the rest of us in an all-out apocalyptic event that threatens existence as we know it and if it weren’t for the few brave, gun-toting, one-liner having individuals, we’d all be goners. Frankly, I’m not a big fan of zombie movies, I don’t enjoy the idea...
Read MoreShow Up
“But Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'” (Luke 18:16) On Sunday I issued you a big challenge, be brave, step out in faith and take the responsibility for raising up future generations. That is an incredibly daunting task but it starts with the smallest thing, the first step is always this: show up. We often hear people talk about how we as Christians don’t need to be perfect before God. We remind ourselves that while we were still sinners, Christ died for...
Read More“Shame On You” Is A 4-Letter Word
“As the Scripture says: ‘Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.’” (Romans 10:11, NIV) After my first year of college I worked for the summer at camp. It was one of, if not the best summer of my life so far. First and foremost, I was at camp and Bluewater Covenant Bible Camp is my favorite place in the entire world. I got to work with my friends, learn about God, get a tan and work with kids (not necessarily in that order, some days it was cloudy ☺). There is a scene from family camp that summer I will never forget. One afternoon I was helping out in the “craft...
Read MoreTime on Your Side
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42 NIV) My son Soren was born one week before his due date. I was not expecting that. When, at about 1 AM, I realized those new pains I was having were really contractions I had a small moment of desperate pleading with God. You see, I was ready to be done being pregnant but I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to start being a mom. Not to mention, I hadn’t finished nearly enough of the Pinterest-inspired creative things I had put off, I had more cleaning to do, I had more vegetables I should’ve...
Read MoreFeigning Disappointment
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 NRSV) I have this tendency to hope for unrealistic things. After a day of nannying three (albeit wonderful) kids and lugging around my 20 pound 4-month old, I drive my Subaru Outback home with grandiose visions of a perfectly clean house courtesy of my wonderful husband...
Read MoreResolve to Bring Peace
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Elizabeth Stone once said “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” As an adult I always thought that was beautiful. Now as a parent, it rends my emotions simply to think it, and my son can’t even walk. Right now as I write this my mom is holding Soren and comforting him through his first cold and my heart is broken. I can’t do anything more than I have already done for his stuffy...
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