Posts: God
Committed to the Seeking
Learning to consistently draw near to God
Apr 29, 2024
I looked around me at all the women gathered in this dim worship center, raised hands and eyes closed, some swaying side to side, singing their hearts out, and I felt nothing. I turned my gaze back to the stage and tried to concentrate harder on the lyrics, as if mouthing them might prompt the Holy Spirit to grace me with its presence.
Purpose Behind Every Limitation
The freedom found in obedience to God’s commands
Jan 18, 2024
Walking out of my orthopedic appointment, I felt immediate relief in my left shoulder. The injection was kicking in and I almost cried from joy. I went home and immediately scheduled my prescribed physical therapy for the next six weeks. This was a familiar scenario. Only six years ago I was doing the same thing for my right shoulder. The diagnosis? Bursitis in both cases.
Places That Increase Our Holiness
Learning to put away childish things
Sep 04, 2023
I’ve been reflecting on this verse for some time now, especially as I’m nearing my 40s. The instruction is simple enough. But can I be honest? This is something I struggle with. Have for my entire adult life. I have always thought of myself as a child at heart, viewing the world with a childlike naiveté. I’d like to think it’s how God made me.
Anchored to the Ground
Feeling at home right where we are
Jul 23, 2023
I was leaving the gym on a Wednesday afternoon, walking to my car in the parking lot when it hit me. That feeling that this is where we belong, where we’re supposed to lay down roots. “This” being the town my husband and I live in. It didn’t last very long, that pleasant, comforting feeling, but it lasted long enough for me to feel reassured in our decision to move here almost two years ago.
A Divine-Filled Practice
Inviting God into the details
May 22, 2023
The fifth guy in one week showed up today to give us a quote. Seems all we’ve been doing lately is getting quotes for different services we need done around the house. Now it’s the front yard gate that needs repairing as well as our driveway, which needs a new seal coat. “Happy homeowning,” one salesman sarcastically said to me on the phone the other day.
Called to Create
Art as a reflection of God’s character
May 14, 2023
Lately writing in and of itself has not felt like enough. In this day and age, it seems to be all about product. I feel an immense pressure to monetize my writing, to package it up into a beautiful box, market it, and sell it. Not just that, but to ensure it stands out among others in order to be valuable. The mere act of writing, of finishing a blog post and publishing it, seems to have lost meaning.
Witnesses to Each Other’s Existing
Seeing secondhand stress in a new light
Apr 23, 2023
It happens often when I’m “out in the world.” Grocery shopping, waiting at intersections, working out at the gym, eating in restaurants. Sometimes it even seeps through my laptop screen while working with my colleagues and sitting in on video calls. It’s palpable, some days stronger than others. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels it. What am I referring to?
What Comes to the Surface
God’s refining work in our lives
Apr 10, 2023
I left the laser and skin spa holding an ice pack against my left cheekbone to reduce the burning. It was about to thunderstorm, so I rushed to my car. The lead aesthetician told me it might sting more than last time since she cranked up the heat on my IPL service. I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted after two treatments, so she suggested we try a more intense level.
The Imperceptible Motion Underneath
Trusting the process and pace of growth
Apr 02, 2023
Spring officially commenced a week ago, though you’d never be able to tell by looking outside. Just two days ago, it snowed again, after it had all finally melted. The streets were the epitome of a winter wonderland, every surface dusted in white. More is predicted for this week, with temperatures still in the low 40s. The dreariness of the winter sky has not lifted.
Shepherding Us in His Direction
Learning the art of fellowship with God
Mar 04, 2023
It's 11:15 pm on Sunday night and I'm searching for videos related to “when God feels distant” on YouTube. I watch a few that look helpful, with titles including “Why Has God Been So Silent When I've Reached Out To Him?” and “How to Get Back on Track Spiritually When You Feel Far from God.”
Fertile Ground for Synchronicities
Thoughts on pursuing our calling
Feb 01, 2023
This, I have found, sums up my writing process. Often, I have absolutely no idea where the piece is going to go. I only have an idea for how to begin it and a theme I want to write about. But I trust the process enough to let it take me where it wants to go, instead of impose my will on it forcibly. Of course this may be easier for a nonfiction writer like myself.
On Earth As It Is in Heaven
Attempting to create God’s vision in our everyday lives
Apr 17, 2019
“As it is in heaven.” This is the new sermon series that started at the church I attend in downtown Chicago, based on the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:10. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. The larger question weaved into the sermons is — how can we bring the kingdom of heaven down to earth, into our day-to-day lives?
Surrendering the Quest for Life Purpose
Dec 13, 2016
For most of my life, I was chasing my life purpose, with a capital P, hoping I would find it somewhere, anywhere. When it didn’t make an appearance in my hometown, I moved. When it didn’t show up in my undergraduate college, I went back for my graduate degree. When that led to one dead-end job after another, I thought surely it will surface in the self-help books I was reading along the way.