Dance in the Rain
Welcome to My Journal
My life has often felt like a raging storm. A hurricane without an end. And yet God has given me joy in the midst of it. And through the raging storms and the intermittent drizzle, I’m learning to dance in the rain. (Figuratively, of course.)
The Lens of Thanksgiving
The first thanksgiving was an act of faith. The Pilgrims’ thanks was not based on pleasant circumstances but rather believing that God should be thanked in prosperity and adversity.
When Your Prayer Requests Feel too Personal
We all have griefs that don’t wear black. Struggles that will not end up on the prayer chain. But we can share these griefs with a trusted few who can pray with us and point us to God.
When Everyone is Irritating You
I was mentally jotting down people who had been irritating me. It was everyone I knew. But then I picked up the Bible and was convicted of my own actions and attitudes.
Nothing is Beyond Redemption
I pull into the driveway, and I’m undone at seeing my camellia bush. This resurrected shrub has weathered many storms and has taught that God is always working, especially when I can’t see it.
When You Struggle to Believe that God Loves You
It’s hard to believe God loves us in the midst of relentless trials. And yet God does his deepest work in the fiercest storms.
The Gift of Sustaining Grace
No one complained about the parting of the Red Sea. Everyone loves delivering grace. But no one is satisfied with manna, God’s sustaining grace. Yet that is the grace that tethers us to God.
The Necessity of Lament
It’s okay to lament. It’s biblical. God wants us to pour out our hearts to him honestly, without pretense or platitudes, acknowledging both our joys and sorrows…so we can be comforted.
Is My Suffering Meaningless?
While it sounds cruel to say that God willed my infant son’s death, believing my son died against God’s will is far worse. I am thankful that God is in all my suffering and it all has purpose.
When the Pain Never Ends
George Matheson, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Joni Eareckson Tada have all shown me that trials, gifts wrapped in black, can be the greatest gifts God gives us.
Is God Really There?
I came to Christ after praying, “God, if you are real, please show me.” When we ask Him sincerely, He answers us in the most extraordinary ways…
When Disappointment Comes…
I received disappointing news the other day. My first reaction was self-pity and frustration, but then I was reminded that nothing will happen that is not for my good and God’s glory.
Job and the Prosperity Gospel
Job has taught me about the value of God and the dangers of the prosperity gospel. At the heart of the PG is our value. At the heart of Job, and all of Scripture, is God’s value.
Can Heaven Outweigh our Suffering
When I remember that God’s blood-bought promise for those who trust in the Gospel is that they will live happily ever after in heaven, my perspective changes.
What’s the Point of Silence?
I used to see silence as empty unproductive time, but I have found that sitting alone with Jesus has been the single most transformative thing I have done to grow spiritually.
Sunshine after the Rain
I married an amazing man two weeks ago who is teaching me to dance in the sunshine. While I love this phase of life, I know that learning to dance in the rain is an equally precious blessing.
How Can Unfulfilled Longings be a Blessing?
I have many unfulfilled longings—things in my life I wish were different. I have begged God to change them, but the relentless ache that remains does the deepest work in my soul.
Hidden Treasures in Dark places
Why did Jesus not go to Lazarus when he was sick? And why does He not rescue me when I need Him the most? Does He not care? How could waiting have been loving?
How in the World Do I Savor Life?
I am learning to savor my life, my days, my moments, and appreciate all the Lord has given me. God wants me to delight in Him and slow down enough to enjoy His presence as well as His gifts.
When There’s Too Much to Do
Every year I choose a word to symbolize the year. This year I chose savor as I see how rushed I have been, always feeling there is too much to do, never enjoying the present moment.
Mary Did You Know?
At the cross, Mary may have wondered, “What happened to the promises of God? How could they end this way?” And yet the pain she endured was for a plan greater than her wildest dreams.