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Changing Lives, Changing History

In many ways, the story of Exodus is the story of women. Women who acted with faith and courage. Women who took creative initiative. Women who were well-positioned or oppressed, younger or older, named or unnamed in the biblical text. Without these women, there might have been no Moses and a very different Exodus story.…

Eternal God, Our Help and Hope

One of my fun projects is updating our church photo directory. I shared the intention in my annual report last March, and now I’m on a roll to complete the update so I can include it in my next annual report. A friend and church member has been taking photos. People have been submitting their…

From Refreshed to Frazzled to Centred

My word of the year for 2025 was Refresh. I had hoped to refresh my daily gratitude practice. To refresh this website with a new look. To usher Hope Beyond Our Sorrows into the world. To claim my profile on Substack and give it a fresh focus on writing as a spiritual journey. All of…

In Memoriam: Ring Out, Wild Bells

This Advent and Christmas season, I’m especially drawn to Scripture and songs of longing. Longing for the world to be a better place. Longing for the end of pain and suffering for the countless who endure hardship. Longing for the fullness of God’s kingdom when all will be restored. So, for my Advent article in…

New Life in the Valley

When I read the story of Ezekiel standing in a valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–14), several people in my small group broke out singing spontaneously: Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones,Now hear the word of the Lord. The catchy tune made…

What Holds Us Up and Sees Us Through

Last July, my friend, Jenny, broke her leg in two places. Ow! That was painful and meant no weight-bearing for at least seven weeks! But that didn’t stop her from celebrating her new book, leading a retreat, canning a huge batch of applesauce, baking ten dozen cookies, and much more…. I’m grateful that Jenny continues…

On Managing Money Well

In Proverbs 11, money is good because we receive good pay for good work (v. 18), and money allows us to be generous which enlarges our world and relationships with others (v. 24). But while money can be an asset, it can’t save us from the difficulties and distress of this life. It cannot save…

Precious to God Despite Our Weakness

I met Keren Dibbens-Wyatt through the Redbud Writers Guild, and was delighted to learn that like me, she would have a new book published by Herald Press this year. We’re not quite publishing twins, since my Hope Beyond Our Sorrows was released in June and her book scheduled for September, but we’ve been on a…

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