Easter is the holiday of hope. Thanksgiving teaches us to be grateful for what is in our hands. Then Christmas sings us a story of love. But Easter raises her head above the brokenness of this world and cries, “There is yet hope!” It is the holiday for the hurting: the day for those in dark places. Because, you see, Easter gives us a glimpse into the minutes that follow The End. In addition, Easter allows us to turn the page and behold, for just a brief moment, the light that comes after the bleakest of nights. Easter assures us…

“Teach my heart to love, not what used to be, not what is to be, but what is.” I wrote these words during a season of yearning and disquietness. Perhaps some of you may have prayed similar prayers. Maybe some of you know what it is to have your body strapped down to painful circumstances while your soul is constantly seeking escape — flying into the past where all was unbroken or into the future when all will be well again. What Does the Heart Long For? The heart longs for rest. It longs for peace and for beauty. When…

To be a warrior with feet of clay sometimes means that your biggest enemy is yourself. And yet, I’m afraid there are no other types of warriors. We, all of us, cannot escape the reality that our feet are made of clay; our frames are composed of dust. Though we are called to greatness and valor, though we yearn to rise, we cannot escape the fact that weakness is imprinted deeply within us all. Wait, What? I know this may sound appallingly pessimistic in the ears of modern readers; after all, we live in a “Dream it; Do it” world…

This month we break through into a new year. The old calendars are taken down; 2022’s story is complete, and we look now ahead. It is as if each month of 2023 has washed its face and taken up new garments; they stand now before us to greet us. The question is what will they greet us with? Does April hold in her hands the fulfillment of dreams? Does July hide sorrow behind her back? We, each of us, are setting forth on a new journey, a new year where new months will be marked by new victories, new pains,…

As we move steadily nearer to Christmas, I wonder what emotions fill your soul? What kind of journey has 2022 been for you? I’m sure for some of you there has been exquisite beauty in this past year. There have been moments you will cherish for a lifetime. For you, I smile and pray that this Christmas will be a celebration of the joys you have been given. For others, I imagine this year has been transformational in another way. Perhaps it has been a year that you will look back on and wonder how you lived through, how you…