This summer has brought a break from seminary classes, a bit of mental clarity, and the opportunity for some deeper study around the role of women in the church. So far, more often than my questions have been answered, they’ve produced more questions— What do we do with passages like 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 or 1…
“Calvin’s Little Book on the Christian Life is the best breakup book. I will die on this hill.” It sounds funny, but I meant it. It was a series of post-college breakups, not Bible College, that made me love theology. Through seasons of hurt and disappointment, I found that the curated instagram captions, articles, mountain-top…
Walking through the parking lot, I see two of my neighbors talking at the door. In the hallway, I pass a few familiar faces and a friend who says they’ll be sitting toward the back on the left, if I’m looking for a place to go. Inside, I see my friend Autumn –she and her husband immediately scoot…
I’m presented with countless buy-in opportunities every day. At every turn, I’m invited to invest the whole of my life in eliminating chemicals and preservatives and gluten from my life, chasing goals without apologizing, and sparking joy with sparse closets and perfectly-folded t-shirts. I’ve looked to many of them and pleaded, fix my life. I’ve…
In my own healing processes, I’ve tended toward two extremes. I’ve given in to my feelings entirely, allowing them to shape my perception of truth, and I’ve claimed the truth through gritted teeth, refusing to feel anything at all. It’s an area where old habits die hard. I distract myself with Instagram and too much Netflix…
Lately, I closed a chapter of my life that’s felt open for a long, long time –not by choice, I guess you should know. So many times it felt like the story of Abraham, who was asked to surrender Isaac on the altar and trust God to provide. Seeing that Abraham feared God and was willing…
Feeling guilty for choosing a podcast over my usual church service, I came to Sunday morning exhausted and ready to explain myself to God –the reasons why I was so tired were good, valid, excusable. I was ready to make my case. But, instead of the judgement I was expecting, I was met with a…
The church I frequently visit includes communion in their Sunday services every week –the kind where you stand up, walk down the aisle, and dip your bread into a cup of grape juice while someone looks you in the eye and says some variation of the words Christ’s body broken for you, Christ’s blood shed for…
Our basement is wet and moldy, and has left no storage container untouched. Our kitchen is in the early stages of renovation, and as far as I can tell, the dust has already reached every surface between here and Canada. My winter clothes are hanging in the living room, my treasured pour-over coffee routine now…
The other day, I stood with my heart on my sleeve and all of my feelings on the table, completely vulnerable and completely terrified. And it wasn’t until then that I saw this mighty thing that God has done –that He’s been doing for a long time. Two summers ago, I sat on a plane…