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Do you have a sensory superpower? I recall noticing that a close friend of mine had a superpower of smell. It was so obvious to me because I was not able to smell as they could. All kinds of things were connected to their sense of smell that seemed a bit foreign to me. My husband sometimes jokes that I have hawk eyes. I see things. I have always liked the beatitude: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” It is quite amazing the way our eyes were designed. Al

Certain words are both so common and at the same time so profound that they seem almost indescribable. These are words you know best through experience. Grace is one of those words. Our goal here is to consider how living into the word grace could help us grow in faith. Here are at least four ways we can experience grace: Grace is love. “The Lord longs to be gracious to you.” (Isa 30:18) God’s gracious longing to love us runs throughout the Bible. In the beginning, God was ev

An icy cold drink on a hot day. A cool breeze at the summit of a long hike. A clear kitchen countertop to greet you. An encouraging word from a loved one during a challenging time. These are some things that refresh. We need refreshment. We were made to be refreshed. We hear a lot about rest. We need rest. Many of us need more rest. But did you know that we need more than that? We need a rest that leads to refreshment. This is how things were intended to be. It is a sign of a

The word notice is worth taking note of. It is gentle yet has the potential to change everything. My children sometimes tease me about my affinity for cozy mysteries. I do not like the fact that they often involve murder, but I do like that there is an element of problem-solving and the best detectives are good at noticing small things. Over time, mysteries may have helped me want to notice more in my own life. There are so many things to notice. It is common to hear the invi

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” John Bunyan Imagine the darkness, the smell, the undeniable earthly reality of hiding in a cave. It’s not the place you go to unless you have to. It’s where you go when things seem to be falling apart—where things are not how they should be. This is where David, the king of ancient Israel, found himself. He was hiding from the Philistines, a people known for being “giants.” The Bible

A friend forwarded a photo to me of her 6 month old granddaughter. The essence of this little girl jumped out at me, her joyful smile leading the way. It got me thinking about my daughter and son when they were that age. I remember all the things that came with parenting a baby; chief among them wondering what to do and when to do it and wanting more than anything to do it well. By some great miracle, my son and my daughter were depending on me! One of the scary things you re

We had a family outing last weekend. The forecast was warm and sunny. I pulled out my favorite sandals from last summer and rushed out the door to enjoy the day. It was so great to be out in the sun. There were signs of hope and life all around in the lush green grass and flowering trees and bushes. As the day went on I noticed myself lagging behind a bit. My feet were starting to ache. I had forgotten that the soles of my sandals were worn. Later I noticed the old grippy tre