In his book Love Does, lawyer Bob Goff writes about a very important technique he uses, both inside the courtroom and as a way of life. He tells his clients when they are on the witness stand, there is a very strict rule they must adhere to: they must always keep their hands open, palms up. Why is this technique so important? I’m glad you asked. What is one of the first things we do when we’re angry, stressed, enraged or overwhelmed? We clench our Read More
surrender
Books are Not My Babies…and Other “Idol” Chatter
Y’all, this writing gig is hard. I recently saw a pic that summed up the process perfectly. “You read a scene and think, ‘That was nice.’ Time it took you to read the scene? Five minutes. Time it took the author to write the scene? Five bazillion hours.” Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration but you get the idea. It’s hard work. More than I ever dreamed possible. And just when I think the sleepless nights, the outpouring of creativity, the frazzled nerves will pay Read More
Finding a Voice: When God Changes the Plan
I sprinted behind my son, attempting to wrap his dripping hair in a towel. Wrestling him out of the bath had worn me out. Wrestling him into pajamas was even more difficult. Now he had broken free and was running down the hall. He squealed in delight as I huffed, “Boy, when I get a hold of you…” We rounded the corner and I stopped short, blinking in surprise. My husband stood in the living room, a big grin on his face. His hands gripped Read More
How Charlotte Elliott Caught My Attention
It’s been a rough couple of weeks. Maybe it was demands of starting a new home school year. Perhaps it was the accomplishment of several large ministry projects that used up the last of my physical reserves. Maybe it was downward spiral of health issues or even the enemy on the prowl, looking for a way to attack. I don’t know. Whatever the reason, my battery was empty. Crawling out of bed each day took enormous energy. I was in pain and exhausted. To use Read More
December’s Songbird: How To Praise When Life Gets Hard
Have you ever heard someone ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or the ever popular “Well, if God is so good, why am I suffering?” Both good questions, both have stumped theologians the world over, but both have an answer. In the fall of 2009, my little family entered a time of extreme financial distress. We had a rental house that was destroyed by a renter who owed thousands in back payments and found ourselves unable to Read More
Lattes and Fruit
I’m a lot more spiritual after I’ve had caffeine. I know it’s sad but true. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve joked about it. It usually gets a laugh because we all know what it’s like to stumble out of bed, hair tangled and blinking through puffy eyes, unready and unprepared to face another day. Sunlight seems like an offense. We mumble and grumble through our morning routine, grouching at loud noises or quick tempers. We snap for others to leave us alone Read More