• Hope in Suffering

    Giving Up Resentment for Gratitude

    I just decided that I’m going to have to (temporarily) stop reading One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Life Fully Right Where You Are. My reasoning is two-fold: A. It’s mascara-smearingly-embarrassing to cry this much in the Minneapolis airport; and B. I’m grateful for this lovely Kindle. Truly I am! But. I need to write in the margins. I need to take notes. I need to process and whatever that little “menu” button might lead me to (“add a note or highlight”), it’s just not the same. So I’m going to pause and jump back to my brain candy of Garlic & Saphires: The Secret Life of a Critic…

  • Momma Tara~Parenting

    Expecting Sin from our Children

    I was still feeling as though I had been run over by a Mack truck, but I went to co-op anyway. I was SO longing to see our friends and I really missed our little faux-geography class. Plus, I get to do Resurrection Eggs with the kids and sing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” for our three Easter co-ops, and I really love that. I especially enjoy seeing the children GROW as we discuss “Passion Week.” Oh! Their eyes were huge as they realized that Jesus’ friends fell asleep (and then fell asleep AGAIN) at his greatest hour of need. (So, by WHOM was Jesus betrayed and abandoned? Just…

  • Uncategorized

    Heresy – Checkers

    Whenever I’m prepping new content (for a retreat or conference), I always have my “heresy-checkers” review my speaking notes to make sure I (hopefully!) have not inadvertently included any heretical material. I’m willing to fall flat on my face for Jesus! But I never want to lead someone ASTRAY. Anyway … earlier this week, Challies pointed us to a brief post that defines heresy and it only strengthened my commitment to (hopefully!) never accidentally teaching or writing heresy: Heresy – What is it?    

  • Uncategorized

    Focus on Her Less & Focus on Her More

    Flip it around, and the post could just as readily apply to women in their helper (ezeer) role— But this brief post from Z will be, I believe, particularly helpful to its intended audience—married men who take seriously God’s call on their lives to lead their wives: Focus on Her Less, Focus on Her More    

  • Uncategorized

    Desperation is the Beginning of God’s Power

    I guess I must be being very transparent on this blog about my exhaustion level (and/or the people who are actually talking with me and seeing me in real life are just OBSERVING my exhaustion level), because yesterday I received two encouraging notes from friends I just wanted to share portions with you. You know. Just in case any of YOU are also facing tasks that are WAY beyond your abilities today too. Ken Sande used to say, “The day you feel ready to step into that mediation room is the day that you should stop being a mediator.” Of course, we prep. Boy do we prep. And we pray!…

  • Uncategorized

    Peacemaking in the Cayman Islands

    Just in case you happen to be in the Cayman Islands next weekend, Pastor Anyabwile has an event announcement: Peacemaking in the Cayman Islands You know. If you happen to be in the neighborhood. (Wouldn’t that be cool? ;)!) Totally slammed down by jetlag and about to head to the airport for Iowa …  Grateful beyond description for your prayers! Love, t  

  • Uncategorized

    Do I actually believe any of this “fear not” stuff?

    So … my ONE suitcase with all of my teaching MATERIAL and CLOTHING; the “one thing” I “need” to serve in Iowa this weekend has gone missing. (I shocked even myself this morning when I actually used the words, “But I can’t survive without this suitcase!” Umm. Can you say James 4 monster want idol? Uh. Yeah. Not good.) So I’m repenting and praying and trying to laugh at everything being sort of a giant test case for whether I ACTUALLY believe any of the stuff I’m about to say: that God is with me and I don’t have to WORRY, right? The Immanuel Promise and not “trying to be…

  • Uncategorized

    Made it Home

    The first ten+ hour flight felt interminable. Passport control and TSA the like were long, but the delays in Atlanta and MSP about put me ’round the brink. We didn’t even take off from Minnesota before our scheduled ARRIVAL time in Billings. I thought for sure the crew was going to time out, but thankfully they didn’t. Home but fried. Grateful! But scared too. Tomorrow promised to be the hardest day I’ve faced in a long, long time. And that was before they lost my luggage … Thanks in advance for any prayers you care to send my way!   I appreciate you so much— Your happy, but tired friend,…