When Preparation Means Waiting
The holidays have a way of rubbing salt in the raw wounds of my singleness. While God and I continue to have conversations around the dream of marriage and family, I am usually fairly content with my single life. There are struggles and joys, things I love and challenges, but this is any stage of […]
For All the Christmas Failures
I am a perpetual loser at Christmas. While some folks have a skillfully crafted game plan and crush it on Christmas traditions, people like me can’t remember where we shoved the box of Christmas decorations we managed to procure between overseas moves and the stuff we bought from expat friends’ “leaving & liquidating” sales. Our […]
Parting with Tradition
December has arrived, and with it the full onslaught of Christmas preparations. Our house is decorated; now I’m turning my attention to the holiday baking, gift-buying, and end-of-the-year and holiday events. Here in Australia, I’m soberly grateful that we are moving into a “COVID-normal” summer. Still, things are not the same as previous years—and I […]
This Week’s Theme: Preparation
And just like that, our hearts fill to the brim with worry, busyness, frustration, distraction. This is why the carols remind us to prepare room for Jesus. This is the invitation of Advent, the days and weeks leading us to Christmas. Our hearts need this intentional opportunity to slow and savor and work out all […]
Potato Chips as a Healthy Meal
I love sports movies. When I was in a transition from the field I wrote a three-part series about sports movies. I said: “I’ve heard from a few of you jokingly saying, enough of the sports movies, OK?! Your feedback gave me a holy pause, creating the space to ask God why I’m going on and on […]
When Going is Your First “Real Job” {An interview}
I (Amy) met Jenny two summers ago when she was an intern. My role was to meet with the interns one to two hours a week. During that time we would debrief some of the realities of ministry and build skills into them. She dedicated last summer as an intern and we got to spend intentional time together. […]
The Vertex of Your Race
Last week I shared how I have removed “run a marathon” as a goal from my life list. Thinking about my life list and twists and turns life has taken, a door in my memory was opened. I’ve recalled other goals and reflected on how they turned out. When I went off to college as […]
Death, Taxes and Moving Abroad (in 5 not-so-easy steps)
Well, look at you! It’s finally happened: you’ve just clicked “purchase” and have your airline tickets in hand (or inbox). Maybe it was a whirlwind three months, or a trying three years. And maybe all the fear and trembling, hopes and dreams you’ve stored up in that time found its ways inching towards your index […]
Running for the Non-Runner
Years ago I made a “life list”—this was before the term “bucket list” entered our collective understanding. Run a marathon was on my life list (so was crochet an afghan, it was a pretty diverse list). In my late 20’s I went through an early morning jogging phase, but other than that, nothing in my […]