-
Little Is Much When the Lord Is in It
My very first Christmas choir solo included these lyrics: “Little is much when the Lord is in it.” I was a shy, insecure thirteen-year-old, but I took such comfort in these words. Today, they still encourage me whether I’m wondering what difference my writing can make or whether my students actually take the time to read my comments and feedback to help them improve. Maybe you’ve felt the same way. When we’re tempted to despair at how “little” we have to give, let’s remember a minor character in a major Bible story. Show Up for Service Instead of worrying about outcomes, we should instead focus on showing up for service.…
-
Making the Manger Personal
Last September, I had the opportunity to travel to Italy with a colleague, work remotely, and research my next novel. During one of our day-tripping adventures, we visited a place called Civita di Bagnoregio, a place sometimes called “the dying town.” This city rests atop a hill that is slowly eroding, and the place itself is breathtaking. As my friend Maria and I explored the city, I suddenly stopped short. There, to my right, were the remains of a manger. A manger. The scene seemed taken right out of a nativity story set in Bethlehem, and yet here we were in Italy. As I soaked in the moment, a few…
-
Merry Messy Christmas
One of the first things I did after closing on my home last year was buy a Christmas tree. Yes, a Christmas tree. To clarify, I closed two days before the new year, and there was a 70% final clearance sale. That 7.5-foot tree had been sitting in my garage for 11 long months. You can only imagine how excited I was to finally unbox it and put up the beauty. And for one glorious moment, it was perfect. But only for one moment. My eight-month old kitten Ness thought I’d just transplanted a tree in the living room for his enjoyment. Having lived with a cat before, I knew…
