Living the New Life
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Better than Fretting! How to Stay Calm and Carry On, Part II
Yes, that’s a camel. I’ve never ridden one—elephant yes, camel no—but I’ve heard they can be stubborn and cantankerous. Friends living in the Middle East told me their kids’ school bus was delayed one day for what seemed like forever because a camel decided to park itself in the road and chill there for the…
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Better than Fretting: How to Keep Calm and Carry On, Part I
What keeps you up at night? Bills? Relationships? Heartburn that, you worry, might be more than heartburn? If so, you’re in good company. By nature, I worry like it’s my superpower. But the Holy Spirit continues to disciple me through scripture fretting subsides as I shift my perspective and trust God more deeply. In this…
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Making the Bible Stick: Jennifer Perez on the Art of Scripture Meditation
What’s the last habit that really “stuck” with you? Oh, I can tell you plenty that have NOT hung around for me – most of them involve exercise, housework, and carbohydrates—but every once in a while, something manages take root until it’s part of my routine and then, part of my life. One that may…
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Why We’re All Snarling and What To Do about It: Advice from Dr. Audrey
This weekend, I decided to go all in to argue my point about a particularly important topic. Tensions ran so high that I had to excuse myself to go wash my hands but really to go get a grip on my emotions. And to do some Google fact-checking to bolster my argument because I planned…
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How Wise Prayers Shape Our Lives
Shout out to every woman in seminary right now. It’s been a week for us and our sisters serving on the front lines, regardless of ministry role or theological conviction. I’m not going to rehash the “women in ministry” debates, especially the ones that seem like misogyny cloaked in religious posturing, but let me say…
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Wisdom Packaged in Love
I miss my Nana. Yesterday, I wanted to phone her so badly. I loved the way she would call me “Dahlin” in her Deep South drawl and end our conversations reminding me, “I prayed for you and all my grandchildren today!” Makes sense I would think of her as I study Proverbs, where wisdom is…
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When Wisdom Speaks, Be Ready to Listen
There’s a whole lot of talking, but not a lot being said. Pretty much sums up our culture, doesn’t it? Everybody has a take or a taunt. You know it’s only going to get louder as we head into 2020. This introvert gal has had about enough and would sign up to be a hermit…
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How Can Self-Control Become Your Game-Changer? Galatians Devotional 10
All ten weeks of our summer study, I’ve been humming that silly kid’s song, “The Fruit of the Spirit’s Not a Coconut,” but lately, I’ve been thinking that IF one such spiritual attribute WAS a coconut, it would have to be self-control. All the others from love right through to gentleness evoked sweetness that sent…
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Is Gentleness #GOALS at Your House? Galatians Devotional 9
Bible teacher Kristin Bonin can straight-up preach a word on unity and integrity in the body of Christ! Last fall this author and founder of Dwell Project spoke to several hundred women at my church, and since then, I’ve gotten to linger over coffee with her to talk all things scripture, raising kids, and reaching…
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How Will You Stay Faithful When Your Faith Is Rocked? Galatians Devotional 8
Reverse puberty. Fun phrase, and no, I’m not wishing kids would morph into their younger selves. Where would the adventure be in that? No, “reverse puberty” is how doctors explain the “profound amount of [biological] stress that causes physical, mental, and emotional strain” during a woman’s perimenopausal years. Well, thank you, doctor. I’ll just have a…