Life Jackets: God Doesn’t Always Part the Sea by Kris Ann Valdez I crumpled onto the hospital floor outside my newborn daughter’s ICU room, heaving sobs, not caring if the doctors and nurses in the hall witnessed my defeat. My nurse friend came and sat with me before her shift. “Will she make it?” I […]
Shining Brightly Together Reigniting Our Faith in Community by Lynne Miller Lent As the gentle melody of “Jesus Loves Me” faded away, the children settled in at the front of the church for a children’s story. A church member, a farmer by trade, sat down on the altar steps in front of the kids. In […]
Finding Freedom in His Presence When God Meets Us in the Garden by Sarah A. Mohr Raspberries grow in abundance at the back of my garden. Last summer, I added an arched trellis to redirect many of the wayward vines. This process required me to dig into vines and thorns that inevitably snagged on […]
Lover of Beauty, Giver of Peace by Suzanne Felton A faint pink halo outlined the massive, jagged silhouette of the mountain far across the river. All was still except for the rippling roar of the water and the rhythmic, back-and-forth motion of my husband’s fly rod in its midst. Little by little, new sun […]
When Life Feels Like Walking on a Balance Beam by Bethany Broderick I watch my six-year-old daughter’s calf muscles flex as she struggles to remain centered on the balance beam. She tilts to the left, then back to the right, before taking her final trip down the beam in tiny hops. I clap for […]
Where Do You Live? Dwelling Where I Was Never Meant to Live by Megan Rea “So, where do you live?” Seems like an innocuous enough question, right? “I live in the suburbs of Chicago.” “I live just down the street.” “I live in a brownstone walk-up in New York City, steps away from the […]
Joy in the Cracks Using Scripture to Battle Bitterness and Choose Joy by Kristine Amundrud Somewhere in my journal from years ago, a phrase is marked as a reminder on weathered paper: Happiness depends on circumstances—joy depends on God. It spoke to me in that particular season, and it still resonates now. I have […]
Living in the Shadow of the Almighty A Journey of Intimacy and Transformation by Kari Minter Have you ever stepped out in faith, only to find that life became more difficult rather than easier? You obeyed, trusting God, but the road ahead seemed filled with more obstacles than before. In the book of Exodus, […]
No Backup Plan Going All in with Jesus by Melanie Bedogne I had been praying for a breakthrough for several months. Circumstances in one area of my life had left me with a weary heart. For weeks, I had been waiting, praying, seeking, and believing in faith for God to show up in a […]
The Secret Place A Psalm 91 Story by Kierstin Almstrum The trodden path ahead leads to a familiar and beloved place. In reminiscence, I clearly trace my footsteps, remembering the times I’ve traveled to this secluded location. A few more feet and I’ll reach my destination. I indulge the crisp mountain air, basking in the […]