That cold look. The ugly email. The person who tries to stir up conflict again and again, all while claiming to be the victim. Chip, chip. The neglect. The loneliness. The engulfing fear and lack of self-worth. Chip, Chip. The verbal attacks. The blame-shifting and argumentativeness. The siren’s call of unwise habits. Chip, chip. The state of the nation. The state of our world. The neighbor who hates you. The diagnosis. The call you didn’t want to receive. Chip, c

‘Twas the night before Christmas And all through the house I wandered alone, my joy somewhat doused. See, the stockings were hung and the tinsel was scattered But I sat there wondering if all of this mattered. There must be more, I thought to myself, Then ribbons and bows and elf on a shelf. I thought of my loved ones, both near and afar And silently wished on a bright evening star That something more than stuff under a tree Would give some meaning to both them and me. When w

I quietly sit in the softness of the sand, mesmerized by the steady roaring and crashing of the mighty ocean’s waves. I know the tide is rhythmically making its way in as each wave gets progressively closer to my little perch, but I can’t quite bring myself to move. Not yet. The timelessness and strength of these mighty waters grabs my attention, reminding me of how truly small I am. How many people came to these very shores before me, wondering just as I am? How many tim

I have this vivid memory of a prayer night I participated in back in my college days–so vivid that all these years later, I still remember it.  We were all down on our knees huddled together closely in a circle.  We were slowly making our way around, with each person praying about whatever was on their hearts.  It was a little intimidating hearing everyone’s prayers. I wondered if my prayer would be as good or as thoughtful, if I would be perceived as being “spiritual” enough

I sat raptly at the end of the church pew, my head cocked sideways, face askew with skepticism. The words floated around me, but I struggled to let them sink in. “If faith were a tire,” the minister asserted, “it would rarely be destroyed by a sudden blowout. Instead, it will be taken out by slow leak, occurring over time. Little doubts here, another heartache or worry there—another failure, another hurt stuffed away. It all compiles. And if the holes aren’t patched and re

Have you ever wondered how God feels about you in the midst of a bad choice or dark place? Or how he wants you to handle those decisions or circumstances that led you to that darkness in the first place? What I have come to learn is that, far from being the distant, remote God who was standing back ready to smite me for my offenses, my Creator meets me in the middle of those ugly choices with grace and mercy, ready to help me grow through them. I remember one such time quite

I had a rather interesting dream recently. I am sitting close to the stage at the Oscars, settled between two successful actresses you would likely recognize, They are known for the depth and skill of their character portrayals. Somehow in this dream world, we know each other well. Having started out in an acting career about the same time, we had mutual respect for each other’s skills. To give some brief context, I have professional acting and singing experiences in my whee

Prayer isn't always simple, humble or easy. Yet often it is within our messy prayers that God's true power really begins to shine.

I used to try to fit my Christianity into a box. Ever been there? I had a checklist that needed to be in place in order to feel good about my faith. Did I sit down, read my bible and pray every day? Check. Did I dress in a conservative, clean cut way? Check. Did I work hard and never make a fuss? Check. And I noticed the people sitting around me in church looked an awful lot like I did. It’s not that all of those things are bad per say, especially the part about spen

Ever been paralyzed by fear? I certainly have. The what if's and the obstacles overwhelm me before I even start. Fear of pain, both real and imagined, can become my excuse to stay put and stay stuck, to no longer listen for the gentle whispers of God urging me forward. And even if I do hear that whisper swirling through my soul, fear can keep me from doing. I know that God is for my good, always. But I need reminders, you know? So, for a full year I had a quote in my ca

A shift in perspective can shift your life experience for the better.

Jesus was asked to do things he didn’t necessarily feel he was ready to do. Picture him in the earliest days of his ministry. He had just called the first disciples to him. We pick up the story with Jesus at a wedding feast with his guys, relaxing and enjoying some of his last moments of "normal," knowing full well that soon He would travel and suffer and ultimately die on the cross for each one of us. Since he knew what was ahead of him, did he relish this special evenin

A young Jewish girl is captured by a conquering nation and made into a servant-slave. There is nothing particularly special about her, except she chooses to have a good attitude despite her circumstances. To still treat those around her, including her capturers, with respect and care. She chose to share her faith with her captors. Compare her with a second-generation immigrant who grows up consumed with crafting a successful business. He works hard to independently produc

They were down 32 points. They needed 5 touchdowns to win. F-i-v-e. Everyone had written them off. The Houston Oilers had scored 21 unanswered points. This included an intercepted pass right before halftime that led to a touchdown, with the Oilers completely dominating the Buffalo Bills. It was so bad, in fact, that most of the Bills fans left during the break, assuming the game was pretty much over. Their superstar quarterback, Jim Kelly, was out of the game, after all.

Daring to believe you deserve great things is a challenge. Obstacles come your way that can tear at your determination. Sometimes all it takes is that one extra person, that one poisonous look, that last denigrating comment to trap you back into your own negativity in the land of “I don’t deserve.” Ever been there? We tell ourselves we’re no good; we’re too fat to be loved, too weak to defend ourselves, unworthy of experiencing joy and peace and love. Even when we do experien

A house full of kids. An elaborate dinner table mostly unnoticed. And missing out on what is really important.

I mopped the sweat off my brow with my crumbled up shirt sleeve, the steam from the pot of delicious smelling food wafting up to greet me as I stirred. My face was ruddy from hours of laboring over a hot stove. I glanced up quickly, noting all the fun everyone else was having in the next room, but also the impatience that can only come from hunger. Everyone wanted to eat! “Almost done!” I shouted out to everyone, though no one was asking. On this, our first big celebration

In an era where celebrities are worshipped, it’s easy to lose my way. If I'm not careful, the constant comparison can rip me apart.

In God's hands, we can transition from paralyzing doubt toward anticipating a life amid God's abundant goodness.

In a year of changes, it took getting away with God to be able to release the breath I didn’t know I had long been holding.