Hannah Hearts

Friend, I have been carrying an ache in my heart for you these last days.  To see you wrestle with this want, this beautiful, God-woven want...it peels back the covering of put-togetherness we all desperately try to keep tethered to the ground around our feet. But I have seen glimpses of the frayed corners of your covering. A picture. A 140 character sigh. A far-off stare occupied by a deeply rooted thorn in your heart. A one ton tear breaking through your "I'm fine" eyes and cutting a path of escape down your rose-garden cheek. You are...

Trick or Treat?

Dear teenage sister, Sister, you are beautiful. You bring smiles to faces of those around you. You hold the power to bless the world immensely by shining the light of Christ into the dark crevices of sorrow that mark the hallways of the teenage years you are walking through. You are seeking Christ and I commend you for that. He loves you and has so much life He wants to share with you. And you want to know what it is. I can see it. I can see it by the questions you ask, by your fervent desire to serve where you see brokenness, by the way you...

To The God-worshipers

Dear Worship Leader, Thank you for clearing a path through the clutter of the days, through the veil of flesh to the throne of God. Leading is never easy, but the task you have before you...we have before us, is of eternal importance, and is equally difficult. To clear away the foliage of another's heart so that they can see where they are going...it is an impossible task. But, only in so much as we attempt to do it in our own power. The sweet truth is that the very King whose throne we are journeying to in our worship, steps off His throne...

Like it's 1999

Dear Nineteen-Nineties, I miss you. You were tight, crunk, dank. I mean, your music was totally dope. You kept me singing along to everyone from Backstreet Boys and The Spice Girls to KC and JoJo to Cake to Presidents of the United States (she's lump she lump she's in my head...) to U2. And your country hits have yet to be rivaled. This pop-country fusion is a mess. People don't know if they are listening to No Doubt or Reba...they all sound the same these days. I weep for the passing of the country golden days. And let me not be negligent in...

The Soul's "Amen"

Dear Audrey Assad, Thank you. You have stepped into your calling as an artist beautifully. And because you have, The Kingdom of God has been strengthened. How do I know that? Well, because my spirit has been encouraged by your songs. A few years ago, I was in a dark place...walled in by doubt and insecurity. It was in the midst of that season that I stumbled upon your music. I don't remember which song I heard first, but I remember listening to "Show Me" on repeat for days. It was all that my soul was crying out. That beautifully mangled picture...

Not Mint to Be

Hello, Hello Toothpaste. We met the other day at CVS. You were so cute in your pink and white get up. It is very flattering on you. You made a lot of promises about yourself that day: You are 99% natural, fight cavities, strengthen tooth enamel, and whiten my coffee-addict teeth. It all sounded so delightful. There was one bit of information you shared that I was not so sure about. It was that little bit that caused me to hesitate and wonder if I'd miss my longstanding relationship with Crest. But you caught me in the morning hours when my brain...

Do Not Steal

Dear Christian, When was the last time you told your story? Now, when I say story, I don't just mean, "Jesus saved me." No, no. I mean your STORY. Colossians 1:13 says, "He has rescuedsup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(A)"> us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdomsup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; font-weight:...

Here I Raise My Ebenezer

Dear Future Erin, I am writing to you so that you remember. A month ago you started a new job. It is the job you have prayed for since you were a teenager. It is the job that you looked for when you graduated college. It is the job God said no to for years. And now, you have been doing this job for 32 days. You are tired. The long drives are hard and students are busy and you are not 22 anymore. But the fatigue does nothing to steal from the joy. You spend your days loving the Church. You spend your days on behalf of students. You spend your...

Dear October

Dear October, It has been awhile, 11 months to be exact. I've been wondering lately how you are feeling about the expectations placed on you. I mean, everyone builds you up to be so...Fall. Warmer colors and cooler temperatures. Sweaters and boots. Pumpkin Spice Lattes and football. But, you never seem to live up to those expectations. Oh sure, football happens and the PSL drowns the disappointment of the sweater-clad co-eds who were hoping for a legitimate excuse to wear their uggs in Houston, but in all honesty, I've rarely seen you live up...

31 Letters

So there is this little blog-world challenge going on around these parts...The 31 days writing challenge from Nesting Place. Many of my very talented friends are participating and I've come across the mention of it multiple times today, so I thought I'd join in. Everyone is blogging about their own topic. Some I've seen: 31 days of letters to my younger self, 31 one days of taking time for myself, 31 days of searching for the real me, 31 days of meals...Love all these ideas, but it took me all day to decide on my topic. I knew I'd never be able...

Chosen Series: Part 12

Mary and Martha. Both known by Jesus. Both loved by Him. But both oh so different in their ability to receive that security of relationship. Mary, always at the feet of Jesus. Never concerned about social expectations. She knew what Jesus thought of her and that was all that mattered. She was loved by the only one whose love brought life to dead bones. She had seen His love do just that for her brother. She had felt the beat of her own heart change...

To be Lazarus

When you are so sick your system starts to shut down and the doctors don't know what to do, you send for the only One who can do something. Sometimes, I've heard, He comes. He puts mud on your blind eyes and you see. He tells you to get up and walk and your lame legs strengthen. But sometimes, He doesn't get there fast enough. Sometimes, He comes too late to heal the sick. Your lungs collapse and you gasp for a last breath. Your heart unlearns how...

Chosen Series: Part 11

Sweet Mary. There is just something about her that I long to imitate. We don't get to hear her speak but just a few words, the same words her sister spoke when Jesus arrived late...after their brother, Lazarus had passed away. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." **Before I go any further, let me just insert a little disclaimer. It may very well be that I am projecting my own experiences onto Mary and Martha. I do not know...

Chosen Series: Part 10

Normal 0 0 1 108 620 5 1 761 11.1287 0 0 0 Mary and Martha Spirit and Flesh The truth is, even when we understand that we are chosen, even when we know we are accepted by God in spite of all our flaws and in spite of all our lawfulness, we will struggle with identity until we are free of this skin and are seeing God face-to-face. Our flesh will always crave assurance from those who cannot or will not give consistent, unconditional acceptance and approval. Mary and Martha both...

Chosen Series: Peter Re-cap

It's been quite a journey with Peter, hasn't it? He's had a name change, found a friend, royally screwed up, been met with mercy in his mess, and his flaw became his faith. We have learned a lot about this desire to be chosen and where to find it's fulfillment. And, there is still so much to learn. Next, we will ask some sisters, Mary and Martha, to teach us what they know. But first, let's look back at some of the things that Peter taught us. Firstly, before we offer anything to Christ (any obedience, any love, anything), He gives us a new destiny...

Chosen Series: Part 9

Yes. What a glorious truth that Peter and you and I are chosen by the God of the universe. He doesn't ask us to get it together first or even wait for us to ask to be chosen. He just chooses us and loves us. This is maybe one of my favorite lessons that I have gained from Peter's life, that the very thing that appears to be his character flaw, once he comes alive in the reality that he is wanted by Christ, becomes the very thing that is most useful to the Kingdom of God. What do I mean? Well, I'm glad you asked. A couple of years ago, I was...