Will you share your thoughts?

Will you share your thoughts?

Can I tell you a story about some favorite friends that turned into a favorite season of my life? I’m sure I’ve shared the story of meeting Kara; we were invited out to dinner by mutual friends when Jason and Kara had just moved to town. My baby boy was brand new; in fact, if I remember correctly, I think this was his first outing. Aaron and I arrived at the restaurant last, and the way everyone had sat down, I ended up next to Jason, which was perfect—Kara was such an extrovert, the life of her end of the table! She totally overwhelmed me even though I was so far down I couldn’t even participate in her conversation. I was content to be next to introverted Jason, who intuitively knew that I was fine not talking much. And as a father of four, he was also super helpful with Von. But then midway through the meal, Kara announced she wanted us all to switch seats—mainly, I had to go sit next to her. She immediately took Von out of my arms and started asking me awkward questions. Sleep deprived and still recovering from NICU isolation, I shrank back in response to Kara’s loud, social, laughy ways of relating.

Lovely Links

in which we share impactful links we pray will encourage our friends...

For all of my 20s and into my 30s, I put myself under the authority of a person who was studying to become (and eventually became) a biblical counselor and who told me that the root of my depression was my sin. The eventual collapse of our relationship was ugly and awful and terribly painful, but now I see that I was actually freed from an emotional abuse that caused scars that I will likely carry all of my days. And one of those scars is fighting the lie that my sin causes depression. I’m not saying that sin can’t cause depression, but this person counseled me to believe that being depressed is a sin, period. And any time I find myself in my lion’s den, I fight those old lies that God broke me free from years ago. Which is why, whenever I come across an article like this, I want to scream and shout and share it with the world, especially people who believe it is wrong to be depressed or people who don’t know how to engage their depressed loved ones. This article was a balm to my heart; I will revisit this again and again, and I pray that each person who reads it will be blessed and redeemed in some way.

As fall quickly approaches, I have found myself in a strange new place—a place of rest! I sat down with my family’s August/September calendar the other day, and for the first time in so many years I don’t know how many, I’m not teaching or leading any kind of formal Bible study! My season of pursuing rest is ongoing, and with some changes at our sweet little church, I find myself not preparing any kind of study at all. And it. is. weird. But wonderful, too, because I know this is right where Jesus wants me—he has gifted me with a beautiful time of metaphorical deep breathing and stretching and slow walking. I can hardly wait! But for those of you who are getting ready to lead your women’s groups, you might find this article encouraging! I love how Jen Wilkin breaks down the necessities of women’s Bible studies into 3 simple thoughts. Read and be blessed! (There is also a video if you prefer to watch instead of read!)

Kara’s Collection: All Here—Today

Kara’s Collection: All Here—Today

from an article originally posted July 29, 2014...

Oh my soul, last night was a great, good night. My smile never faded. I enjoyed Lyle Lovett so much. His voice, his way, his story telling—it was simply an amazing night. I kept thinking last night of a quote from Ann Voskamp: Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time’s swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here.

Sacred Grace

Sacred Grace

Hazel mentioned it first, in her own way, when she said, I will miss this later—the gathering and waiting...We were sitting with Marmee, my grandmother fighting for each breath just feet away. I thought, I wonder if people would think that’s a strange thing to say. After all, we are waiting for Marmee to take her last breath. And when the waiting is over and she goes Home to Jesus, we will go back to our lives and continue without her. Hazel must have had a similar thought because she tried to explain herself, but I knew exactly what she meant—she cherished that sacred time of holding space for Marmee, all together, taking turns, gathering and praying and singing hymns and reading Scripture. And I did, too. The weeks leading to Marmee’s death were some of the most beautiful in my life, and I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by how God’s Grace met us around every corner.

Kara’s Collection: For the love of life and crooked smiles

Kara’s Collection: For the love of life and crooked smiles

from an article originally posted July 28, 2014...

I am a lover a poetry, especially the poet types that put their poetry to song. In college at Indiana University, when I was idealistic and young-faced, a friend introduced me to the crooked-smiled lover of poetry who happened to sing—Lyle Lovett.