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In: Made Real
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The army of women who took to social media with the hashtag #MeToo. The recovering addict, who when asked how he was doing replied, “I’m medium to fair.” The girlfriend who called in the middle of the night to say she’d left her husband and found someone new. The coach who admits the team is ill-prepared and its playbook is outdated. Refreshingly honest— all of them. Their confessions like oxygen in the smog of noise and niceties. Lately, I have a newfound appreciation for these brief encounters with honesty. They are brave and something to behold at a time when being airbrushed and animated isRead More →

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In: Off the Path
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I was a mother. For 171 days, I loved on a child with special needs in hopes of adopting. Finally, I thought, a family. An answered prayer. Without the rose, then perhaps I was meant for the pearl. I joyfully busied myself with home cooked meals, play dates, swim lessons, bath times, and bedtime stories. Play therapy, timeouts, and countless temper tantrums later, love wasn’t enough, and there would be no adoption. The disappointment brings me to this blog entry and a question all believers at one time or another have asked. What happens when our plans fail? The short answer is: our resolve isRead More →

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In: Easter Sunday
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“Noooo! I don’t want to!” At four years old, she’s already fiercely independent. At four years old, my foster daughter has already known more loss, disappointment, and pain than my four decades of adulthood. So when her eyes glare at me with laser-sharp focus from under a furrowed brow, and a tantrum of tears meant to test my resolve (and my love), I think of Jesus. There are no words. Out of all the books I’ve read and Easter Sunday sermons I’ve heard, overflowing with comforting wisdom, prophetic prose, and life lessons, there are still no words adequate, big enough, deep enough to contain andRead More →

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In: The Right People
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There once was a young man who wanted to introduce his new love to his mother. To soften the introduction, he broached the subject with his mother first. Because lineage and social class were important to her, she quickly asked, “Who are her people?” The mother’s motives aside, like any concerned parent, she wanted to know more about the young woman who had won her son’s heart. What cloth was she cut from? What did she want? What kind of company did this young woman keep? They were all legitimate questions just not the right ones. Indeed the people in our lives are a reflectionRead More →

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“Father, I need you.” Those four simple words have saved me more times than I can count. When ends didn’t meet, and bills were overdue, help arrived. When I needed a way out of a bad situation, a window suddenly opened. When I thought I’d reached the end, there was a staircase beyond what appeared to be the point of no return. That simple prayer, time and again, ushered in help at my greatest point of need. Desperation makes praying knees go deeper. Those four powerful words do battle with pride, plans, and ego-driven power. ASKING FOR HELP Those four words replace pride with humility.Read More →

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In: Thanksgiving
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As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with our loved ones, memories of the holidays with my family come to mind. We didn’t have much, but my grandmother and great grandmother who hail from the Deep South would put both their feet in a soulful, southern holiday meal. A host of aunts, uncles, and cousins would cram into my grandmother’s modest home for a family feast. With so many adults and teens, there was not enough room at the dining table for my younger cousins and me. We sat at a small table for the children. I can remember wanting to sit next to my motherRead More →

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It’s time to come out of the dark. When a gifted singer’s soulful voice fills the sanctuary, we see a light. It inspires us to dance, shout, and lift our hands. When a gifted neurosurgeon’s skillful hands remove a brain tumor, there’s a light illuminating the path to better health for his patient. When a chef creates a culinary masterpiece, there’s a delightful light of pure joy on each plate for her customers. FAITH IS LIGHT So imagine if fear silenced the singer, limited thinking convinced the neurosurgeon there’s no money for medical school, and insecurity kept the chef out of the kitchen. They wouldRead More →

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In: #MorningPrayer
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Let’s be honest. Sometimes we forget to pray. The pace of our lives can drown out that still small voice calling us to commune. For me, the call to prayer comes first thing in the morning. Sometimes before the first hint of light, my heart and my lips will utter: “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) We can become so convinced of our power and ability to navigate our world, juggle all the balls, win all the contests, that we forget to take a moment to rest in Him (Psalm 131), to takeRead More →

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In: The Harmony of Life
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Every season has a distinct sound if you stop for a moment and pay close attention. The summer buzzes with bees, water sprinklers spit and tick, the shrieks and screams of kids playing on the block add to the symphony. Then fall eases in like cool jazz with a subtle breeze that rustles leaves, making Samba shakers out of tree branches. There’s a rhythm, a harmony. That’s how life should be. When life is in order and we’ve courageously removed all that isn’t serving our growth and purpose, there’s flow; we’re in synch. Chaos and confusion give way to peace. Add a little fun andRead More →