Have you ever been brutally honest and then felt condemned for it? I am often encouraging others to be in community, to be vulnerable with the Body of Christ, to be real. But it’s also true that in being real, we open ourselves wide to people’s opinions and concerns and judgement—which is a painful process. In my last book, Counting Grains of Sand, I wrote with ruthless honesty. It’s not … [Read more...] about Community, Cursing, and Complete Dependency on “Charis”
Living Faith
How to learn “Self-Care” in the Kingdom
Five months after our daughter came home, we climbed onto an airplane. She was chatty and excited, watching everything with giant eyes of wonder. The moment her seat belt was buckled, her nose was smashed against the window. "Oh, Mommy," she breathed and her brown eyes danced. Flying wasn't new to me. When I was her age, I dreaded it because the change in pressure at take-off and landing … [Read more...] about How to learn “Self-Care” in the Kingdom
Do You Praise God for Your Trials?
It was late, after Bible Study on a Thursday night. We were sitting around the kitchen, as we often do, the remnants of snack littering the counter. My words were stumbling over themselves, like they usually do. The thought crossed my mind that maybe I should just write everything I want to say so people could understand what I’m trying to convey. As soon as the thought came, I dismissed it. … [Read more...] about Do You Praise God for Your Trials?
Are you an eyewitness of the faith?
We were in Alaska, spending time volunteering at the Kingdom Air Corps ranch. It was evening and we were driving back to the ranch after dinner. Arvin and Kathy in the front, our daughter snuggled between us in the back. The man's fire was off the side of the road and he was wrapped in his jacket, sitting on his pack. "That's the man we saw earlier," Arvin pointed out. My husband nodded. We … [Read more...] about Are you an eyewitness of the faith?
An Open Letter to Those Struggling to Trust God while Walking through Pain
Since publishing Counting Grains of Sand, my book that talks about choosing faith while walking through great sorrow and great joy, I've received so many letters with some version of this question: How can I trust in a God who speaks promises, when I am forced to walk through heart-wrenching sorrow? I don't have all the answers. There is so much of the mystery of God that I can't begin to … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to Those Struggling to Trust God while Walking through Pain
The Ultimate Book List on Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully
Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully were missionaries in Ecuador in the 1950’s. They made a plan to form contact with an unreached tribe deep in the jungle, at that point known only as the Aucas. This tribe was known for their killing and their lack of typical clothing, which earned them the title Auca meaning “naked savage”. The missionaries felt a burning … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Book List on Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully