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in family

Gentle Spirit, Fierce Faith: A Tribute

This morning, my great aunt went home to be with Jesus. Her husband, PC Verghese, was a dynamic and respected evangelist in India for decades. He went to glory just two days ago. Both of them were like grandparents to me and instrumental in my faith journey. I have no doubt that they are rejoicing ...

Journeying with Jesus – A Lent Devotional

As I write this short post, I am on a journey. I don’t mean that metaphorically. Thankfully, I’m not on an “eat, pray, love” type quest for meaning and purpose. In a few hours, I’ll be hopping on a plane for a seven hour trip to Indonesia. I’ll be meeting up with friends there — ladies ...

When You Don’t Know What’s Next

Eighteen years ago, when I was expecting our first child, What to Expect When You’re Expecting was considered the go-to pregnancy “bible.”I know there’s an app for that now. But, back then, the book provided all sorts of baby advice and trivia. We would know, for instance, that at week 16, the baby would be ...

How Can We Reclaim Joy?

When my daughter was little, she would present me with dainty bouquets—composed entirely of weeds. We lived in Portland, Oregon, at the time, and on our few and scattered sunny days, my mini-me would joyfully run through the grass, filling her hands with wispy dandelions and wild daisies. When she gave me her handcrafted bouquets, ...

What I Learned about God — at a Mosque

As I tilt my head at a certain angle, I catch a glimpse of the shimmering domed ceiling. Though I want to linger, the crowd behind me feels overwhelming — I only take a moment to glance at the mosaic: Mary, robed in a deep blue, sits on a jeweled throne. She holds a young ...

You Don’t Need to be Fruitful Right Now

As I scroll social media, scan bookshelves, and read my email, one theme pops up repeatedly: productivity. We’re all looking for ways to get the most out of our time. Being productive is often tied to our purpose. After all, God designed us to use our talents and skills. When He created Adam, God didn’t ...

What 20 Years of Marriage Has Taught Me

The hubbers and I celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss yesterday. Okay, that’s not entirely true. While it’s been 20 beautiful years, it hasn’t been all bliss. Like every married couple, along with the bliss, there’s been some blunders, bloopers, and, well, just plain brokenness (because that’s what marriage is: two flawed people coming together.) Along with gathering ...

A Good Man: A Tribute to my Dad on his 80th Birthday

I remember crafting you a "poem" when I was eleven years old. It was your 45th birthday and I wrote this for you: Born in ‘45 Today 45, Half of 90 In the Year ‘90 You thought my poem was next-level brilliant. Like, Nobel Literature Prize worthy. Like, Shakespeare should be taking notes. Thirty-five years later, you’re still the biggest cheerleader of ...

A Letter to My Daughter on Her 16th Birthday

Dear Girlie, Happy 16th Birthday! First things first. Now that we let you get a second ear piercing for your birthday, we’re officially in the “cool parents” club. Right? Who am I kidding?? We’ll never qualify as “cool” parents (or is it “lit” parents now?), will we? To clarify,  we will still be asking you to put away your ...
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…