Joseph had a dream that he knew was from God. There was a distinct calling on his life and a good plan for his future. He lived a life of […]
Prayer for a New Year
A Valley-Walker’s Prayer for a New Year Dear God, as we step into a brand new year, we lift up this honest and heartfelt prayer. Our hearts are full of […]
So Loved
I know about love. I have loved, and been beautifully loved by, a good man. But, as much as he loved me, I’m absolutely certain Jeremy wouldn’t come back to […]
How Christmas Feels to the Grieving
I suppose most would rather not think about death and loss at this time of year, but for the valley-walker, there is no escaping reality. Mistletoe mocks. Once-tinseled trees lay […]
Hope Has Come: Advent
I can think of nothing that threatens my hope more than the silence of God—endless waiting with not so much as a whisper from the One on whom my expectation […]
What Does it Mean to be Blessed?
Are we really blessed? In our culture, we tend to think of blessings as: But Jesus said, blessed are: Those last 5 are not exactly blessings I would choose. But […]
Death Gives Way to Life
It was a sunny October afternoon when death came to visit. Once my favorite season—filled with family birthdays at apple orchards, hot pumpkin spice lattes on crisp, frosty mornings and […]
Scattered Seeds
I sometimes struggle with the feeling that my current ministry is just throwing seed to the wind and never seeing any of the fruit it might bear. That can be […]
Four Years Faithful
This blog is four years old today—born out of one of the darkest valleys of my life. If these birth-pangs were measurable, they’d certainly be a 10 on the Richter […]
Mercy Met Me There
Four years ago, today, I stood in a hospital corridor, begging God for the life of this man. There are no words sufficient to describe what my whole being was […]
Irreparably Broken
Do you feel irreparably broken? A few minutes of watching the news or scrolling social media reminds me that I don’t hold a monopoly on brokenness. There is pain, devastation […]
When Will You Surrender?
Two years ago, I’m sitting on the third row, just before worship on a Sunday morning—pretty discouraged and praying for clarity—when God hits me between the eyes with this question: […]