RECENT POSTS
Santa Can Be Tough For Kids With Disabilities
Penny and I stood in front of Town Hall last Saturday night, listening to Marilee and her school choir singing Carol of the Bells. Then
S6 E8 | Christmas, When Church Lets You Down with Bekah McNeel
It’s Christmastime! But how do we celebrate Christmas when consumerism and church hurt bring complicated feelings to this season? Journalist Bekah McNeel talks with
The Infinite Became Finite
I read an essay about math (of all things!) in the New Yorker a few months ago that made me all the more grateful for
December Introductions
It is time for another introduction! If you are new around here, welcome, and please know that I love getting to know who you are
What People Are Saying About To Be Made Well Groups
One of the great gifts of being a writer whose words go out to places near and far is hearing from the people in those
Am I Willing to Be Interrupted by God’s Work of Love in the World?
Jesus’ birth was only noticed by the outsiders. The Magi, non-Israelite foreigners who worshiped a distant god, nevertheless paid attention to the star in the
Why I Am Neither Conservative Nor Progressive
Conservatism in one sphere can lead to progressivism in another. To be more specific, theological conservatism can lead to social and political progressivism. Last week,
God’s Boundless Love
Wider than my arms can reach. Those are the words I used to say to our kids to describe how big our love was for
Two-Word Family Check-In
Lately, I’ve been sending a text once each week to our whole family to check in on how everyone is doing. I used to just
3 Things to Watch This Weekend
Here are 3 things to watch this weekend. We had an unexpected family movie weekend, where we watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding and then Wakanda Forever
I Have a Gift for You: Movements of Healing Guide
DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE Honesty, humility, and hope. These are the three movements of healing we see again and again in the gospel stories of healing.
Big News for the Becker Family
Big news for the Becker family today! Many of you have watched and read and listened as our family has grown up over the years,
S6 E7 | The Cost of Control with Sharon Hodde Miller
How does control lead to anxiety? How can we let go of the illusion of control and entrust our lives to God? Pastor and author
Prayer and Talking to God
I used to say that prayer is talking to God. I was trying to explain prayer to Penny’s friend Rachel, who has Down syndrome and
At Thanksgiving, Don’t Simply Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
I was reminded this year that Abraham Lincoln was the first American President to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. He did so in 1863, in
The Insidious Racism of Assimilation
Assimilation is an insidious form of racism and sexism and ableism and all the other isms. It’s subtle, because it comes in the form of
We All Need to Know We Are Beloved
Healing is so tender and scary and so very beautiful. Over the past two weeks, I have been reminded of these truths through a flurry
Radical Generosity, Abundant Compassion, Unexpected Hospitality, Surprising Grace
Radical generosity. Abundant compassion. Unexpected hospitality. Surprising grace. These are the types of phrases that I wish marked more of us who call ourselves Christians.
S6 E6 | True Self, True Healing with Alison Cook
In between the extremes of selfishness and selflessness, how do we bring healing to our true selves? Dr. Alison Cook, psychologist and author, talks with
Please Don’t Call Anyone Low-Functioning
I’ve been trying to figure out why it bothers me to hear people described as “high functioning” and “low functioning.” The other day, a friend
November Introductions
I asked my family how I should introduce myself to the new people around here, and here’s what they suggested (through the family group text):
