take a closer look at Jesus

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus had s a warm and uniquely intimate relationship with Jesus. So when Lazarus became fatally ill, his sisters, knowing how much Jesus’ loved them, banked their appeal for his help on his love. Read their story in John 11:1-43. Mary and Martha knew Jesus as a healer, teacher,  Messiah, and close friend—but living… Read More

A Call to Arms

We picked a very hot day to see The Mall in Washington, D.C., but found a cooling fountain to sit by for lunch. We have declared a today to be a “take-a-vacation-from-vacationing day.” We’re in Virginia with two of our junior-high-aged granddaughters, and we’ve been enjoying activities every day, including: water park, canopy tour (with zip… Read More

light sources: faith in the yet unseen

The sun is shining but how can I reflect its rays when storm clouds of fear and pain block their passage to my soul. My bed is floating on a flood of nightly tears; my gut writhes and clenches as I cry out to you for mercy and help. How long, Oh Lord, how much… Read More

light sources: daylight moonshine

When the sun is bright in the sky— too radiant to look at without damaging my eyes— does the moon still reflect its light? Surely it does on the other side of the world where the inky darkness of night covers the earth with shadow. But I don’t look for the moon during my daylight… Read More

Noah’s advent

Noah spent 120 years in advent–that’s how long he spent waiting and “becoming”for the big natural disaster that God told him was coming. He had a few things to do to get ready–like build a boat that was as long as a football field plus half. He had to get buy-in from his wife and… Read More

coming into being

What is advent? Before this morning (when I looked it up) I would have said it was “the time before” or “a time of waiting.” But there’s more to it than that. The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives this definition (when not capitalized): a coming into being or use such as <the advent of pasteurization> or <the advent… Read More