Tags Archives
in joy
What Are You Looking For?
A 31-year-old treasure hunt has just come to an end. Evidently, the hunt, which took place in France and was called “On the Trail of the Golden Owl,” was based on a book of riddles published in 1993. Participants were required to solve 11 puzzles from the book and the 12th one that was hidden.
CNN ...
Marriage Ain’t About You
A couple of days ago, my husband and I celebrated our 19th anniversary in a rather “special” way. I use inverted commas around the word ‘special’ to convey semi-sarcasm.
We’ve always done something special (no inverted commas) for our anniversary. Even when the kids were screeching, red-faced hatchlings, thanks to indulgent grandparents offering to babysit, we ...
A Cancelled Vacation Showed Me What Love is Not
As we compared our kids’ school calendar with my husband’s work schedule, one thing became painfully evident: we wouldn’t be able to take a family vacation for the next few months.
I could feel irritation (bordering on anger) rise inside me.
“Are you absolutely sure you can’t take a break?” I asked my husband, my voice whiny ...
A Legacy of Selfless Joy
Funerals are always sorrowful and deeply sobering. But when it’s the funeral of a 21-year-old girl who bravely battled cancer, radiating joy through every painful moment, it’s not just heart-wrenching, it’s also life-transforming.
Jenita is the daughter of my husband’s cousin, Rajiv. Or, more accurately, as Rajiv said at her funeral, he is “Jenita’s dad.” We ...
Hey Mama
Hey Mama,
Bent over the kitchen counter,
Distractedly eating leftovers.
Yes you,
With the ragged PJs
The greasy hair and yesterday's eyeliner.
Here’s something you should know:
God sees you.
He sees you,
Even when no one else does;
He sees you,
When you feel overlooked.
Hey mama,
Dark circles under your eyes,
Sleepwalking and suppressing yawns.
Yes you,
Up all last night
Checking if she was still coughing,
Or if he was ...
You Have Permission For This
There’s a distinct point of time when I snap.
I don’t mean that I snap my fingers to a happy chorus. Nope.
I mean I snap like a dry twig. You can almost hear the cartoon-like crraaack.
My patience runs out. My face contorts. My tone hovers somewhere between irritable and infuriated. My words range from snarky to ...
Vacations and Worship: Can They Actually Go Together?
Is it just me or do you find it harder to connect with God while on holiday?
As someone who thrives on schedules, I enjoy time in the Word during my regular routine. But you know what happens on vacations? Or, more to the point, what doesn’t happen on vacations? Routine. That’s what.
Schedules and calendars melt ...
God Didn’t Wait—And Neither Should We
The doorbell does its thing just as I’m sitting down for lunch.
My daughter proclaims she “needs” a snack just as I’m starting work.
Okay, let’s get real here, nature calls with urgency just as I’m about to write that profound life-changing sentence.
We’re all familiar with pauses and interruptions in our daily routines. We know what it ...
Advent Devotional 2023
It has been several years since I wrote my last Advent devotional. I remember writing that Bible plan as a challenge to myself. Could I keep the focus on Christ and manage to write 25 devotionals for Christmas? It was one of those God-sized goals—but it wasn't to show the world that I had "nailed" ...
MEET SUSAN
