It is just an ordinary night. Although I am young and small, I am learning how to tend sheep. I’m even in charge of two small lambs. The stars are shining brightly, and all is quiet and calm. Suddenly, the sheep begin to “baa” in anticipation of something unknown. The older boys check the perimeter, but there is no sign of an intruder. The elders encourage us to settle down, and we huddle close together. I gaze again at the…
Over the last three Sundays of December, we have heard the promises of Christ’s coming. We have been encouraged to “not become drowsy from … the anxieties of daily life” (Luke 21:34). We have been invited to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Luke 3:4). And when we asked, “What should we do?” (Luke 3:10), we were told of the Messiah and all He would do for us. Now, on this fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear, “Blessed are you…
Yesterday, we celebrated the first Sunday of Advent! And to be honest, I was barely ready for it. Yes, I set up our Advent wreath and Jesse Tree, but I already feel anxious about everything I have to do in the next 21 days. (Yes, Christmas Eve is three weeks from today.) Maybe you are feeling the same way—a bit weary about the busyness of Advent and Christmas? We want Advent to be prayerful and peaceful, but that desire is…
If I had to guess the calendar date based on my favorite store’s décor, I would get it wrong. Fall pumpkins, cornucopias, and leafy garlands are nowhere to be found. Only messy remnants of Halloween remain on the clearance racks. Instead, I see Christmas trees, twinkle lights, and stockings. Signs and symbols of December, not early November. Whenever I see Christmas coming too early, I feel rushed and anxious. Suddenly, I think I am behind, as if I’ve missed a…
Well, we’re here! Today is the last day of our series on Resetting the Rhythms of Life. I wrote this series and offered it on my blog for two reasons: 1. This summer, I asked my email friends a simple question: What are you struggling with the most right now? The responses I received were honest and real. Many people answered similarly, too. The biggest struggle was feeling overwhelmed with life … managing time, prioritizing prayer, and feeling pressure to…
Welcome to Day 30 of Resetting the Rhythms of Life. Today’s post will be quite different than the ones I’ve written over the past four weeks. Why? Because today, it’s your turn! After 29 days of praying with Scripture, reflecting on the rhythms of your life, and resting in all that God has for you in the present moment, I invite you to share your experience with this series. Your feedback, thoughts, and ideas are so important to me. You…
Welcome to Day 29 of Resetting the Rhythms of Life! We are almost finished with this series … only a few more days to go. I pray that the time you have set aside for prayer, contemplation, and rest has been refreshing and fruitful. I pray you have been able to hit the reset button in the various aspects of your life. Perhaps you were able to make progress in all four areas we explored during the past four weeks….
Happy Sunday! Today is Day 28 of Resetting the Rhythms of Life, and I am just so thankful that we have been on this journey together. It’s not easy to establish (or reestablish) good habits, but the time we have spent in prayer and contemplation this month has been so essential to our overall wellbeing. For we have chosen to renew, reclaim, refocus, and refresh the things that are most important to us: prayer, family, wellness, and home. We have…
Welcome to Day 27 of Resetting the Rhythms of Life! This week, we have been focusing on refreshing our homes … When life is overwhelming and we are weary, we fall behind with the task of making our houses into homes. We can get discouraged. But through prayer, reflection, and patience, we can find peace in the midst of it. Our circumstances don’t have to be perfect for our homes to be beautiful. Today, we will recall one of the…
Today is Day 26, and we will continue our final theme on refreshing our homes. Sometimes, we don’t necessarily long for a picture-perfect home. What we long for is peace in the present moment, in the present state of our homes, in the mess, in the imperfect. We long for a sense of God’s presence with us in the midst of the here and now. Could it be that we can refresh our homes by refreshing our mindset, by choosing…