Author Archives

from Susan Narjala

When You Find Yourself in a Trial

Maybe someone reading this needs to hear these words: That super stressful, dreadfully unfair, horrible, no-good, unjust, despicable thing you’re dealing with is something that God has allowed, perhaps even ordained, in this season of your life. I'll admit that I need to truly wrestle with those words myself.  God is not surprised by the things that seem ...

Are You Willing To Show Up?

Recently, in a conversation with a friend, I learned I had deeply hurt her.  It was not what I had done. It was what I had not done. When she was going through a traumatic experience in her life, I stayed safely tucked in my own warm, fuzzy world. It was hard to hear her wounded words. I was ...

Thinking Theologically About Productivity

Until quite recently, I was a firm believer that 'productivity' was worldly. As I looked critically around me, I found that people wore ‘busyness’ as a badge of honor. I, for one, didn’t want to get sucked into that trap of trying to prove myself through my performance. As a Christian, wasn’t I 'above' that? I had bought ...

When Regret Comes Knocking

Maybe it’s the three giant chocolate chip cookies you devoured at 10 pm. Maybe it’s the fact that you scrolled through social media yesterday like you were training for an Olympic sport. Maybe it’s that you sold your home when the market was down, and now it’s worth twice as much. Maybe it’s the careless words you spoke ...

Why the Sinfulness of Sin Matters

Thirty years or so ago, I remember applying for my learner’s permit (the precursor to a driving license) at a dimly-lit office in Chennai, India. We were ushered into a musty, dank room full of files. Test papers were distributed. No other information was dispensed. Before we could answer the test questions, however, the person in ...

Wabi-Sabi in the Word of God?

The other day, my parents, my two teens, and I enjoyed a sushi lunch at a Japanese restaurant in town. It was my first time there. Compared to some of the fancier restaurants with over-the-top decor, this place wasn’t as polished. The ambiance was relaxed. The vibe was laid-back. It felt like someone’s lived-in space, ...

Are You Content in Your Calling?

A few of us from my church are experiencing a hangover. Don’t be alarmed. We’re just dealing with the zombie-like state that comes from an intense week of volunteering at Vacation Bible School or VBS. All week, about 30 of us cut, glued, baked, organized, sang, played, narrated, learned, prayed, laughed, protected, and shared our lives ...

What Could Be Deeper than This?

This past week has been filled with “proud parent” moments for my husband and me. Our son accepted an offer from a fantastic university.Our daughter shared her testimony at church.We watched our son graduate high school, looking dapper in his black suit—while his sister emceed the event. And in all of it, we simply got to sit ...
MEET SUSAN

I love words. But you probably figured that out by now, considering this website essentially collates my words on the web. Read More…