When Souls Know
You know I love me a good story. The following is easily top 3. Genuinely one of the most sacred moments I’ve witnessed this side of heaven. I’ve begun typing it out a million times, but never committed. It has always felt too precious to put into words. But I got a text today from the other half of this story and I knew: it’s time. So…. it’s the year of our Lord, 2018. I have gotten deeply invested in a local organization that serves and empowers women coming out of sexual exploitation and trafficking. I literally have no business being in this space except that God has dropped me…
When Compassion Fails: Social Sabbath Chronicles Pt 1
My armpits were actively sweating – which, honestly, is not *that* unusual since I switched to natural deodorant a few years ago (hello, newfound gratitude for antiperspirant!!) – but that’s not the point. [The point is also not that I haven’t posted on here in over a year and it feels like a lot to come back suddenly with no explanation. (But also, hi!!!!)] The point is: I was actively sweating, my anxiety rising as I scrolled through social media one day. Like, there is a missing child in Tennessee right now. And the kid is DANG cute. Not that it matters even a little, but ohmygosh is this child…
Reeling: my Christian confession
The first time I really, truly came up against theology and ideology that differed from my upbringing was in college. Early in my college career, an LGBTQ advocacy group announced their visit to our Christian university campus. They didn’t ask to come, they announced what day they would be arriving. We were one of several stops on their national protest tour, one of several colleges they had identified as having restrictive / uninclusive language in our handbook. Every college they had visited prior to ours had barricaded them off of school property. Each university had enlisted the help of the police to ensure the group was not allowed on campus.…
Her Name is Faith.
For privacy purposes, we’ll call her “Faith”. She is a stripper, and here’s the part of her story I know: It’s Friday night, and it’s late. Later than I stay up any other time except this night, Outreach Night. It comes once every few months. This particular outreach has been a long time coming. We tried to hit these clubs back in December, but sickness stopped it. We tried to his these clubs last week, but weather prevented it. So, Friday night, we are all on high alert. We know that somewhere, in one of these strip clubs, a divine appointment is waiting to be had. I guess I should…
A Weary World Rejoices
I’m currently sitting at the Local Pastors’ Coffee Shop. You know the one: where all the young, on point church staff come to disciple people and “unpack stuff” and stuff. You know them because they’re all wearing tiny ripped pants, immaculate lifestyle tennies, and the type of glasses that were previously only worn by people featured on the crime watch portion of the news. Speaking of, I’m so sad that I’ve reached the age where I verbally opine on “the crazy fashion trends these days”. I went to a worship concert a few months ago and all I could talk about afterwards was why the main guy looked like Weird Al circa 1985 and the main girl was…
Just One at a Time
I learn that a “base” is both a geographic location and a group of people – a sort of mix between a gang and a homeless camp. This base hit all five of my senses at once. The sight of 30 children living and sleeping in a park, the smell of sewage being used as both a bath and a washing machine, the taste of air so grimy and dirty it coats your throat, the touch of a boy – 12? maybe 13? – so high he needs your steady arm to stay upright, the sound of traffic driving past seemingly unfazed by it all. This base was only about 30 kids. “Only” because there are an estimated 60,000 kids – children – living on the…
Grace, even for the Embers
I don’t know about you, but nobody can beat me up worse than I can. I am my own worst bully because I fail miserably, often. Don’t we all? Even people you think would be exempt from failure aren’t, because human. Mother Teresa, the Pope, Mr. Rogers…Jesus’ own disciples. Let’s talk about those guys for a minute. Honestly, if anyone should have it figured out, it should be them. The ones who walked beside Jesus, followed in his footsteps, saw all the miracles he performed, witnessed firsthand the overwhelming reckless love of God we sing about today…if anyone should be failure-free, it’s these guys. But, no. No one is exempt. And so it was in John…
The Best Easter Object Lesson Ever
Every year, my mom wants to buy our boys new Easter outfits. Also every year, my mom forgets to buy our boys new Easter outfits. She doesn’t forget entirely, she just forgets until close enough to the date that either she has to pay exorbitant shipping charges to get everything here on time or she takes her chances with USPS and hopes they arrive earlier than later. Last year the package arrived the Monday after Easter. These fails have become some our favorite memories.
Living with Our Glimpses
It was Crazy Sock day at school yesterday, a celebration of World Down Syndrome Day. My boy’s kinder class celebrated their friend and all the other friends around the globe who are extra amazing with their extra chromosome. Watching him walk out the door with tiny capes fluttering on the back of his Batman socks was LIFE. I mean, who doesn’t love a good sock cape? More than that, though, was the knowledge that those socks were walking into a school that is celebrating people. And I will always get on board with that.
Bag o’ Joyful Swag
My husband brought a gigantic company-logoed duffel bag home from work the other day. It was presumably a bag o’ swag, as is to be expected at a corporate business office around the holidays, but he didn’t look through the contents ahead of time. So when he walked in the door and the boys asked about it, he jokingly said, “Here, boys, this is for you. It’s full of CANDY!” They took it, opened it up, and screamed in delight. Because, unbeknownst to us, it was ACTUALLY FULL OF CANDY.
