The Church is the People The Church is facing an interesting and challenging circumstance today. How do we practice ministry without the gift of presence? My pastor keeps reminding us that the Church is the people—not the building! But, doing ministry without the building is proving to be a challenge. I keep coming back to […]

Reserved for a Special Occasion On an average Sunday morning, I put on a dress as I get ready for church. I recently bought it on sale, and the small floral pattern brings a smile to my face. When I glance in the mirror, I stop and think, “This dress looks like an Easter dress.” […]

Buying Books for our Home Few spaces in my home give me as much joy as the study my husband Austin and I share. It’s light and bright, with natural sunbeams coming in from two large windows on opposing walls. We have desks that match but face away from each other (a good rule of […]

A Surprise Failure Years back, I worked in children’s ministry at our church. Since I had a background in music, my boss tasked me with composing an original song for the kids to sing in worship services on Easter Sunday. I wrote a simple melody with lyrics based on Psalm 67 and then recorded myself […]

This content is from our March Coffee Date email. Each month we send out a round-up of some content we’re loving––all the things we would share with you if we could sit down over coffee together. You can signup for these monthly emails at the bottom of this post! The Faith of Others When my […]

Choosing Intentionality Don’t waste your quarantine. Yes, I know it’s inconvenient and very unsettling. I know plans are drastically changed and a new normal hasn’t been set in place. But even still, don’t waste these days. Some day this quarantine will end. Some day things will be back to the norm. But will we look […]

The Start of Change A few years ago I did something long overdue: I went on a one-year shopping fast. I wish I could say I did it because I wanted to. I would prefer to spin this with me looking spiritual and disciplined. But the truth is I did it because one day God […]

Full-Blown Panic A few years ago I had my first full-blown panic attack. To say it caught me off-guard and knocked me off my feet would be an understatement. Until that point, I had lived life going 100 mph at all times, like a speeding train with no brakes. I learned the hard way in […]

An Unprecedented, Unexpected Time Today is my fifth day at home and counting. My social interactions have been limited to my husband, my cat, and friends and family online. But even these interactions have been limited because I find myself overwhelmed by the amount of information sent my way. The constant news and constant updates […]

The Need for Everyday Joys When we named this collection “The Everyday Joys” Collection a few weeks ago, we had no idea what state the world would be in today. Amidst increasing health concerns with CoVID-19, cities and states practicing social distancing, toilet tissue running low, and everything else that comes with the threat of […]