When God made our father and mother out of dust and ribs, he filled their hearts with his perfect presence. It’s why there was no jealousy or idolatry or adultery in Eden. All of man’s cravings were aimed at God and quenched by God. Then Adam and Eve bit a hole into what was forbidden, … Continue reading Eden, Ecclesiastes, and Our Insatiable Appetite
May 3 I want to be a gardener—to know my botanical names, to identify seeds, to plant them so they grow the best possible fruit. Someday, I want to be that little old lady who wears sunhats and keeps seeds in her sweater pockets. But I’m a beginner. If gardening is an art (which I … Continue reading On Gardening and Belonging
Memorizing Scripture Quarantine has me chiseling out new habits and upkeeping old ones. I started memorizing Psalm 119 before COVID struck and decided there’s no excuse to forgo it now. I also jumped into John 17—Jesus’s High Priestly Prayer—with my pal, Gia, last week. The fruits of meditation and memorization are rich, especially during this … Continue reading April Smiles
April 19 I’ve spent February, March, and April getting to know C. S. Lewis through his works. From Surprised by Joy to The Magician’s Nephew to The Weight of Glory to The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Lewis has stirred something inside me. There’s a German word he used—sehnsucht—to describe his inconsolable ache for something … Continue reading Sehnsucht: My New Blog Playlist
Then at last, as they stood for a moment looking out toward the sea and Cair Paravel (which they could just now make out) the red turned to gold along the line where the sea and sky met and very slowly up came the sun. At that moment, they heard from behind them a loud … Continue reading “And There Was No Aslan”
April 5 Life is fleeting, I read in Ecclesiastes. Make us aware of our end, the Psalmist asks. We came from dust and to dust we’re returning, God says. And yet there are gifts under the sun. Like Sunday afternoons picking guitars on the patio, dangling bare feet off the dock, reading Narnia, visiting neighbors, … Continue reading Something New Under the Son
The Internet isn’t just bawling with dark news and death tolls these days. Look a little closer and you’ll find stories— hopeful ones. Old people still madly in love, communities using the web to unite, neighbors singing the Doxology from their porches at nine sharp each morning. And then there’s the story God’s spinning smack … Continue reading Story of stories
What a cataclysmal month. It’s noisy and heavy out there, isn’t it? Is there anything worth smiling about? For the Christian, yes. Here are two praiseworthy truths I wrote about last week. Today, let’s talk about the little things— those resources and activities that have kept me busy (and sane) this month: Ray and Jani … Continue reading March Smiles
March 22 Today’s been strange. I didn’t go to church, didn’t talk to my friends or take notes or play on worship team. I didn’t leave my house. I’m tired of hearing about the coronavirus, but it isn’t something I can ignore. Or should. But that also doesn’t make it my focus. God is. And … Continue reading Two Reasons to Thank God Today
March 15 The world is bleeding, your sin makes you groan, you’re restless for the Day when Jesus renews all things. Maybe “Your kingdom come” is a prayer you’ve adopted. I mentioned last week that I’ve been thinking more about the kingdom and praying for it to come soon. But my study of Psalm 119 … Continue reading Part Two: Why Do You Pray These Three Words?
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