Rejoicing in the Hard Times + Crunchy Strawberry Salad
Only the Lord knew that when I signed up for this topic months ago, He would be bringing me through a hardship, digging daily to find some semblance of joy. We’re currently in week 3 of “quarantine” in our country of service, where the virus is still spreading. Thankfully—and I’m oh so thankful—we spent the […]
Rejoice and Connect
If you need a good Scripture exercise, grab your concordance and look up all the verses with the word “rejoice”. Here are a few: Psalm 13:5-6 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He is good to me. Psalm 48:1-2 […]
Eeyore, Dungeons, and Always Rejoicing
A few years ago, Andrew Peterson released a song titled “Rejoice” and I didn’t like it. This is odd for a few reasons. Reason one: I’m usually a pretty big fan of Peterson’s poetic flair in songwriting. It’s kinda rare for me to say I don’t like a song he wrote. Reason two: I’m generally […]
This Week’s Theme: Rejoice
Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I will say it again—rejoice! Apparently, we must be reminded. These words need to become the repeat soundtrack in our minds and hearts. Joy is our response to all those “even thoughs” we talked about last week. Joy is our claim when it makes no […]
Rejoicing in the Comments
Two scenes from the book of Luke. Scene one—A field outside of Bethlehem: It’s night. The sheep are dozing, maybe the shepherds are too. When what seems to be out of nowhere, a host of angels appear in the sky with both the most ridiculous and most wonderful and most confusing news to be given in […]
Ode to Joy
I have always been fascinated by joy. Undoubtedly because it is my name and I have often felt as though joy has been just out of my reach. I’m not a bubbly person. I’m not funny. I don’t light up rooms with my presence. I’m prone to quiet thought. In fact, the last two months […]
My Invisible Christmas
In 1997 in Shandong, China, Christmas was invisible. When I envisioned what my first Christmas with my newly married husband would be like, that image did not include a potted plant from the Biology department posing as our tree, with a tough chicken casserole acting as our Christmas feast. It was Christmas Eve, 1997. Not […]
Farewell to Shadowlands Music Giveaway!
You know that feeling you get when you have a Christmas present that is just right for someone you love? That happy excitement you have as they pop through that first piece of tape? That’s how I feel right now. I feel like you’re opening present that you are going to LOVE. Today I’m […]
What I Learned From Thai Christmas Caroling
From the ages of 11 to 18, I was a MK in Bangkok, Thailand. Every year around Christmas time, my Thai youth group and I would go Christmas caroling. I know you’re envisioning a group of people bundled in coats and hats standing in your driveway singing. But that’s not what it was like in Thailand. […]
Making Music in the Rubble
Our story is a story of Redemption. Every single one of us. From the grace covered good girl to the mercy starved filling themselves with every empty pleasure the world affords. We live our lives from a certain place, but our story is part of a whole. It is one that is moving forward through […]
Portable Expatriate Holiday Traditions
Every expatriate family needs portable holiday traditions to help us rejoice. Real Christmas trees aren’t common in the desert of the Horn of Africa and fake ones weren’t a priority for our initial luggage allotment. Eventually when a relative visited, they filled a duffle bag with a small fake Christmas tree. We have three nativity […]
This Week’s Theme: Rejoice
I smile at familiar faces, the vegetable lady, the egg lady. I walk out of the market with bags full. I walk home, breathing the unusually fresh air, crisp and chill, thankful for fuzzy warm long johns. I pass the noodle shack, savoring the spicy smell. I step inside my home, all cozy in the glow of Christmas […]