I’ve had a tenuous relationship with Christmas the last few years. Christmas has seriously stressed me out. It’s not just all of the extra and expectations that go into the month of December; although, these also play a role in holiday stress. But navigating Christmas with faith-shifting questions is hard. Christmas has a way of … Continue reading The Question that’s Saving my Christmas
"It is a lie--any talk of God that does not comfort you... How long will grown men and women in this world keep drawing in their coloring books an image of God that makes them sad?" - current translation of Meister Eckhart How do we heal from toxic images of God? How do we move … Continue reading How Do We Heal from Toxic Images of God?
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it." --Brene Brown Do you ever stop to look at your life and ask, "How did I get here?" Sometimes, a small moment or conversation sets you on a course that changes everything. Sometimes these small moments require … Continue reading It All Started When I Owned My Doubt
"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" ~ John 11:25-26 (MSG) I am, right now, Resurrection … Continue reading A Resurrection Story
Sometimes, people of faith like to refer to themselves or to others who hold the "right" kind of faith as believers. This descriptor seems inadequate. I don't feel comfortable or right when I try it on. But this story of faith grabs me. It could be my story. A sea of people stood between me … Continue reading A Desperate Faith
This poem arrived last week. I'm just starting to understand why I needed it. Rumi said: "Poetry holds its meaning loosely, like a rock in a sling. We let fly. The rest is out of our control." I think I'm also just starting to get what that means. Just fly. Just fly. An eagle soars: held … Continue reading Just Fly
I am grateful to be writing for At River's Edge this week. Here is a peek: Growing up as a girl born Baptist, Easter was something that we celebrated with triumphant music, Easter-egg hunts, and ham. We were excited for Easter, but Easter always caught me by surprise. Maybe it snuck up on me because I … Continue reading A Baptist Discovers Lent
"It was going to be one of Rabbit's busy days. As soon as he woke up he felt important, as if everything depended upon him." -- A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner "I'll go and see if there's anything [Christopher Robin] wants doing, and then I'll do it for him. It's just the day … Continue reading Trading Importance for Infinite Worth
You're fired. Both of you. Disappointed God voice and unrelenting critic. You may both go because you are not real, and you are not speaking truth or life. You make me wilt, shrivel up, and hide. Now, maybe a disappointed, angry God can transform your heart and mind and life into something beautiful. You and I may be very different, and that is okay. Shame, fear, and guilt--whether God-induced or critic-induced--don't breathe life into my soul. They might influence my behavior for a while, but shame, guilt, and fear are not transforming me or healing me.
Am I selfish for staying home from church on Sunday mornings? This question hit me with force the other night. I love my Sunday mornings. I love them a lot. My reasons for leaving church behind on Sunday mornings differ from the reasons that I still am home while my husband takes our three kids … Continue reading Oxygen Mask
Jessica Sanborn 