The other kind of love

Ah, February. The month commonly associated with love because of Valentine’s Day. The stores flood with food, flowers, and apparel in various shades of red, pink, and chocolate. Oddly, I think it fills more of us with dread than delight: singles feel conspicuous in a culture focused on couples, and those in relationships feel the…

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Breaking bread instead of breaking fellowship

In the coming days (and weeks), many of us will gather with friends or family to share a holiday meal. We’ll put thought into who will encircle the table, extending invitations and setting a time to gather. We’ll put thought into the meal—possibly preparing favorite family recipes. And we might even put thought into what…

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Small boat, big God: Weathering Life’s Storms

You’ve read the story before, I’m sure… Jesus instructed His disciples to go to the other side of the lake. As they traveled, a storm began to rage; waves breaking into the boat.  Jesus was sleeping through it all.  Until they woke Him, asking whether He even cared that they might drown. His answer? “Why are you…

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When We Share Our Broken

Be encouraged by these words from one of my fellow Our Daily Bread writers, Elisa Morgan, and her podcast co-host, Eryn Eddy. What I love most about their words here is how they looked past their “obvious” differences and shared their stories with candor to find common ground—something we all need to be doing more…

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Authenticity: Rising tide lifts all boats

I wasn’t sure I wanted to “share.” I knew the tears would well up in my eyes. (Insert cursory feminine joke about mascara here.) And I haven’t known these women for very long, so tipping my emotional cards felt (extra) risky. We were discussing hypocrisy in the Christian life and how our social masks put an…

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Whatsoever is … lovely

I confess I find this word in Paul’s list to be the least connected to all the others in Philippians 4:8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and…

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Books & Media

I’ve written hundreds of articles that have appeared on my own websites and in various publications under my own name and others; some of my bylined work is listed below. Please contact me to commission a freelance piece. While I no longer offer ghostwriting or editing services, I’m always happy to make a referral to…

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Can you judge a family by their Christmas card? Should you?

Her disgust was vocal and overt. My friend and I had both received Christmas cards from a third friend. Over the course of the preceding year, we had walked through some significant and painful territory in the life of our mutual friend: a miscarried pregnancy, a grave illness in her extended family, and an arduous…

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Bad news. Good news. Or both?

I feel a little badly about saying this to you. Even just for thinking it, really. But I don’t feel so badly that I won’t say it. I’ve been tracking the career of an author with some 10+ Lifeway-published book titles to her name and a prolific speaking calendar. Her trajectory is one that I…

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