Want Advent emails delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here! Readings: Jeremiah 32:36-41 + Romans 8:18-25 Have you ever decided something that, at the moment, seemed terrible but with time, ultimately worked out for good? Jeremiah 32 opens with Jeremiah in prison, confined within the walls of king Zedekiah’s house. As a prophet, Jeremiah had received a …
Want Advent emails delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here! Readings: Genesis 8:13 – 9:17 + Revelation 22:1-6 As a kid, I know I made promises I couldn’t keep. “We’ll be best friends forever.” “I’ll sit with you at lunch every day.” “I promise to let you borrow that book tomorrow.” Even last month, I found myself …
Want Advent emails delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here! Readings: Genesis 2:15-17 + Genesis 3:1-8 + Hebrews 12:7-11 Ten years ago, I was barely a year out of college. Living at home and working a retail job, I was still finding my place in the world. I had my friends and regular routines, including a practice of attending …
Want Advent emails delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here! Readings: Genesis 1:1-5; John 1:1-5 My memory isn’t great. I’ve forgotten many things, and often I rely on a combination of journaling, photographs, and someone else’s retelling to remind me of past events. Even though I don’t remember specifics, I know there was a time I …
Want Advent emails delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up here! Reading: Psalm 145 As a child, my family didn’t celebrate Advent. There was no candled wreath, no calendars, no nightly traditions. But, in our own way, we still created space. We put together our ancient artificial tree, sprinkled fake “snow” over the tops of bookcases, …
All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware – Martin Buber It’s 2009 and I’m a junior in college. In my dorm room, the chill of winter slowly melting into spring, I’m packing a bag. I hold up different items, weighing their effectiveness in keeping me cool. I’m traveling south, spending spring …
Grief is the price we pay for love – Queen Elizabeth II Warning: This post deals with the sensitive content of miscarriage and grief. Please protect your heart, friends. A year ago, we were expecting a baby. It was a surprise, and while we had discussed “trying to start trying,” it was still a few …
Fear is static that prevents me from hearing myself – Samuel Butler Friends, in the spirit of honesty, I have a confession to make. Writing is hard for me. Ok – so writing is hard for a lot of people. But as someone who feels a tug on her heart to share via the written …
Most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now – Eckhart Tolle Like many of you, my current pace of life has forced me to slow down. Although …
As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal – Robin Sharma It’s 2007, and I’m 20 years old. I’m riding a charter bus with thirty of my not-yet-closest friends, heading south. Today, I’m on my way to Ireland, embarking on my first international adventure.
