Eight weeks ago, I had a baby girl, Hope.
My pregnancy was wrought with all kinds of trouble and fear.
As a female youth worker, one of my early fears was how my church would react to the news.
I hoped it would be unashamedly excited for me,...
I majored in Electrical Engineering in college – a major that seemed logical for me since I was good at math and science and knew engineering could lead to a lucrative job.
The only problem was that engineering was definitely not the career God...
As a youth pastor, I'm privileged to walk with teens as they transition from high school into college. Typically, teens leave high school with huge dreams and aspirations, feeling as though they can conquer the world. All too often, four years...
I chose my word for 2015 – hope - while in the hospital for the last two days.
For the last two years, choosing a word of the year has been a healthy practice for me. In 2013, I chose the word brave. Last year, my word was enough. Both shaped...
As someone who both loves to travel and to write, I was excited to read Allison Vesterfelt's Packing Light: Thoughts on living life with less baggage.
Despite taking me a while to get into, I ended up thoroughly enjoying this book. In it,...
Following my miscarriage last year, I searched high and low for books and in particular, for memoirs that would help me find my way through my grief. Though I stumbled upon a few gems like A Force of Will and An Exact Replica of a Figment of My...
I am not brave.
There have been times (usually when there's a sheer cliff on one side of me) when my husband and I have been backpacking when I've literally been paralyzed by fear, unable to take a step forward.
I'm also extremely risk averse.
...
About a year ago, my husband and I attended a ceremony to remember the atrocities occurring in the Congo. While there, we learned what courage looks like.
We also experienced African hospitality. We were served a bounty of traditional African...
As a former youth pastor, Micha Boyett has a special place in my heart. I've followed her blog for years and was eager to get my hands on her book, Found – A story of questions, grace, and everyday prayer.
Though I feared Micha's book would be...
The other day, my new passport arrived in the mail.
Upon opening the envelope, the first thing I noticed was the absence of my previous passport. I grew immediately irritated as I reflected on the places that passport had taken me – Nicaragua,...