I Wanted to be There

September 6 My family was supposed to be in Nashville last week, taking part in the Getty Sing! conference. We were supposed to be in the pews of the Ryman Auditorium, drinking in Andrew Petersonโ€™s Behold the Lamb of God concert and worshiping Jesus with people of different tongues and nations. Instead, we watched it … Continue reading I Wanted to be There

The Song that was Sharper than Sting

This article was written for and published on StoryWarren.com. Samwise had climbed too many stairs with Shagrat drooling on his heels. Heโ€™d blasted through Cirith Ungolโ€™s gates with Galadrielโ€™s light. Heโ€™d searched every black corner for Frodo, and now, his master was a tower trapdoor out of reach. So Sam sang nursery rhymes into Mordor. … Continue reading The Song that was Sharper than Sting

The Opposite of Sehnsucht

August 23 We were made for another world and until Jesus returns, we canโ€™t help but ache for it. C.S. Lewis called that longing sehnsucht (and I write a lot about it). But thereโ€™s another part of us that longs for this world, and itโ€™s why James had to write: What causes quarrels and what … Continue reading The Opposite of Sehnsucht

My Very Favorite Writing Resources

August 16 The start of a schoolyear has always been my favorite time to readjust old writing habits and invest in something that will sharpen me. I've taken classes, joined communities, read books, and attended seminars. But there are two writing resources I come back to again and again. These classes and communities have sharpened … Continue reading My Very Favorite Writing Resources

On Writing, Weeding, and Walking in the Light

Good writers are good pruners. They know when to pick up the shears and how much to chop. William Zinsser taught me that. โ€œBe grateful for everything you can throw away. Reexamine every word you put on paper. Is every word doing new work? โ€ฆIs anything pompous or pretentious or faddish? Are you hanging onto … Continue reading On Writing, Weeding, and Walking in the Light

Be Encouraged: You Are Kept

August 2 Before he was betrayed and driven to the cross, Jesus spent time praying for you. โ€œI am praying for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.โ€  โ€œHoly Father, keep them in your nameโ€ฆโ€ โ€œWhile I was with them, I kept … Continue reading Be Encouraged: You Are Kept