This article was originally published with Convivium. Motherhood is a funny thing. A few short days ago, my daughter turned one. And while I plan birthday cakes and teas and parties galore, I can’t help but reflect on the faithfulness of God in this season. The journey to her was rocky, and gratitude for the gift … Continue reading My First Year of Motherhood
This post was originally published with Convivium. Recently I participated in a centuries-old tradition of which many might question the validity and the modern relevance: I became a church member. It was not new; I had done it before – with the call to baptism at 16 came the embrace of membership. But God's leading … Continue reading The Matter of Membership
Dishes in the quiet mornings before sweet-girl wakes.Watching her little fingers explore the piano.Reading board books and feeding homemade yogurt.Dreaming of first birthday parties.Prayers whispered over end-of-the-night bottles. Playing in her highchair while I work - she's happiest close to mama.First thing good-morning-snuggles.Praying for the fruits of the Spirit in my motherhood. Her first word, … Continue reading The Quiet Moments of Motherhood
This article was originally published with Convivium. Since I was a little girl, I’ve loved to bake and I’ve wanted to be a mom. I grew up in a community that places a high level of importance on hospitality and that has always been a value in my life. For a time, I viewed hospitality … Continue reading The Art of the Home
To my daughter, on International Womens Day. I'm thinking of you as I scroll through posts and pictures of women. Women marked as strong, by every possible definition. And I wanted to talk to you about strength. Because you see, there's something you have to know about being strong. Being strong is all about Jesus. … Continue reading An Open Letter to My Daughter on International Women’s Day …
Prophecy. Words of the past echoing into the future, calling out for things yet to come. Words that are a promise of God, filling a void in our hearts and souls. Words that bring truth, words that bring hope. Hope. The first Sunday of advent marks the celebration and remembrance of the hope God has … Continue reading Prophecy & Hope
This article was originally published with Convivium. Four years ago, I bought a set of pictures. Pictures of little woodland creatures in their adventures, tumbling down waterfalls and into cool lakes. Pictures that waited for the bedroom of a little one. Pictures that waited in a chest. In a chest for four years. But they're … Continue reading Eyes Wide for a Child of God
This article was originally published with Convivium. Failure is a deeply painful learned skill. It reminds each of us with crushing clarity that we are not always good enough. We can't always fix it. We can't always do it. It’s a learned skill because it has the ability to mold, shape, strengthen and equip us … Continue reading When Christians Fall Short
This article was originally published with Faith Counts. Many faith traditions are rooted in the practice of hospitality; that kind and generous welcoming of visitors and strangers. Be it striving to serve the poor, welcoming refugees or embracing a child in foster care, it is often people of faith who seek to show hospitality and … Continue reading Radical Hospitality
This article was originally published with Convivium. I sat as a child with sticky jam-covered fingers wrapped around each other as I was taught to pray. Snack time at my children’s Bible program had concluded, and it was time to learn how to pray using my fingers. Hands together and sitting in my little orange … Continue reading Broken Hallelujahs For Canada
