Kathleen Kelly mocks: “Hi, my name’s Joe. As if you were one of the stupid 22-year-old girls with no last name. ‘Hi, I’m Kimberly.’ ‘Hi, I’m Janice.’ Don’t they know you’re supposed to have a last name. It’s like they’re an entire generation of cocktail waitresses.”Joe Fox: Look. I am not a 22-year-old cocktail waitress.Kathleen: […]
Identity
who I am in light of the Great I AM
The Shape of Leadership:A Soft Heart with a Strong Spine
Aaron was reading a section out of a John MacArthur book on the strengths of the apostle Peter. His impulsive, go-for-it attitude endears him to me, and I feel a keen sense of hope knowing that Jesus chose him despite his rash run-and-then-trip responses. Yes, he sunk under the waves, but he did get out […]
Saying Goodbye to the Celebrities
Cancelled TV shows, film sets closed down, sports barely played, and through it all, I’ve said, “What’s to miss?” Another lesson of 2020 is this: we don’t need our celebrities to survive…or even flourish. We need to realize this truth within the church as well. Where are the bold and courageous leaders now? Where are […]
Well-Fed When Starving
Last night, my daughter wanted to make a Greek meal. Like most ideas, I don’t know where the thought originated, but if it comes to her mind, it tries to find a way to materialize tangibly. My husband and I love gyros, hummus, olives, and all things bread and olive oil, so of course, I […]
Why Touching People Is Essential
A precious woman in my life finds herself in widowhood earlier than she anticipated. She lives alone now–something she’s never done. My friend’s main love language is physical touch (hugs) and she gives great ones. When this corona-virus quarantining isolation started up, I asked her if she wanted us to stay away and she emphatically […]
When Silence Screams
“In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies…but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. I grew up just outside of St. Louis in suburbs with picket fences and gardens, but seeing and interacting with African Americans was normal to me. My dad invited black preachers to speak […]
Exquisite Lies of the Soul
Yesterday my mom stopped by the house, and in passing, she mentioned something a friend of hers told her after spending a little time with me. She had several compliments to share–all warming my heart–but the comment that struck the deepest cord for me was this: “She has great energy. Kristin’s just someone you want […]
You Belonged to Me Before You Belonged to Anyone Else
We all belong to someone: even if your life is so broken, you can only claim the foster system or the government, you are associated with another entity besides yourself. Sadly, we identity ourselves by tag lines that don’t give us a complete or accurate picture of who we truly are:_______’s spouse, ___________’s daughter, __________’s […]
Paralyzed by Indecision
“Too many options can flood someone, yet their inability to choose may be directly tied to their fear of making a mistake. This is exponentially increased if they have had a history of being corrected when they were making a choice—or always being told what to do and what to want. Both extremes create self-doubt and the […]
Changing Your Life with Two Words
Last Sunday, Joe White spoke at our church. The central theme of his talk could be extracted down to two words: I’m third. His stories demonstrated the impact of infusing this mentality into everything a person does. All week, I contemplated the power of living a life as “I’m third” and how that would realign […]