Since like forever. That’s how long I’ve been reading the Bible. The idea that the Bible has different literary styles and that narratives have well crafted elements like setting, plot, and character is familiar territory. So as Tim Mackie and Jon Collins at The Bible Project were releasing their podcast series on “How To Read … Continue reading Literary Design Pattern: Seek, Take, Do
Daniel, do not be afraid.
From your window, what is it you see?
Nations and kingdoms
self-centered and self-righteous;
their citizens and communities
expendable casualties and refugees?
It is only for a time. Continue reading I AM, So Do Not Be Afraid
Bon Jovi, in the 1980s, was classified as a rock and roll band, but in 2000 with the release of “It’s My Life” the band appealed to a younger audience and landed on the top 40 pop charts. The song became an anthem of sorts. Bon Jovi would later say of the lyrics, “I thought … Continue reading To Yield & To Give
As an activist, promises were not something he could offer. Sure, he could encourage students to hold sit-ins with the hope of reversing the inequalities. He could embolden many to march with the longing of rebalanced justice scales. He could even invite the young and old, black and white, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics … Continue reading “This Is Our Hope”
“What else is on your phone?” asks my nephew Solger. I’d been showing him pictures of the fish we caught earlier in the day, but after about 30 seconds, he’s ready to move on. He swipes through the screens and lasers in on my handful of games. The first game he clicks doesn’t open. It’s … Continue reading Skip The Stars, Paint The Shark
Construction companies are generally named like law firms. Saunders Construction. Hensel Phelps Construction. HLCC Construction. But I didn’t know that as a little girl. My dad had bucked the trend and instead of naming his company something like Penner Construction, he opted for Maranatha Construction (translated for me as a child as “Lord come quickly”). … Continue reading Maranatha Prayer
He lived in a city once called “the perfection of beauty” (1). Built on a high ridge, it had beautiful buildings, palaces, towers, and a magnificent house of worship. “The joy of the whole earth” was how his friends and neighbors referred to it. But the days of beauty and joy are now just memories. … Continue reading “Let There Be Light” – Lament and Hope
To My Soul, For so long you have aimed to achieve. Your prideful pursuit: Aim for perfection. Achieve success. Secure worth. But it hasn’t worked out that way, has it? It is a rotting lie that if we work hard enough, long enough, we achieve perfection. The truth is that when perfection comes, if it … Continue reading The Archer: Part II – Aim To Abide
To my soul, I see how you make your way. Throughout the fields of life searching. Seeking success that brings satisfaction. Pursuing perfection that’s supposed to bring peace. Aiming to achieve your value and worth. But contentment and peace do not define you. Instead you’ve become a reed bruised, about to be broken by fear. … Continue reading The Archer: Part I – Aim To Achieve
The people felt battered, and understandably so. The siege on their city had been disastrous. For 18 months, an imposing army had tightened a noose around them. As their food rations dwindled, so did their strength. Once starvation set in, the land forces moved in. The attack bloodied the captives’ bodies and souls. Some survivors … Continue reading Love Letter
Lord, Come Quickly 