Refiner’s Fire
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moreBecause We All Have These Days: When We’re Just Hanging on by a String
On Wednesday, September 26 th, 2012I crack the eggs and the pan sizzles and there’s a kid hanging upside down off the couch, trying to knit a scarf. “Remember to use the plastic spatula and not the steel one, Mama? Remember what Dad said?” And her curls are all hanging down touching the floor and she’s doing a row of pearl with the blood all running way too fast to her face. I switch spat...
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moreWhen You’re Broken & Don’t Know Where to Go:
On Thursday, August 30 th, 2012When she was standing there in the spring, under the blaze of the blooming trees, I could remember 13. I could remember the burn of the unfurl, and how the becoming sears, and how does a mother help a daughter light? How does a woman be a light? We had walked down to the water’s edge. ...
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moreBecause if Us Christians Really Care……. And We Really Do — right?
On Thursday, August 02 nd, 2012It comes right when we’re at day 11 of praying our way through Ramadan. Us the the family living next door to Mennonites not Muslims, the women who wear bonnets not hijabs. The neighbors around here taking their horse and buggy to make a 4 mile pilgrimage to Sunday meeting, not any annual five thousand mile pirimage to Saudi’s Mecca. ...
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moreThe Light We Need to See Everyone In
On Friday, July 27 th, 2012Been praying this week for Amber and Seth Haines and their little Titus. I’ve been memorizing Sermon on the Mount, all of Matthew 5-7, with these earnest folks (and a whole community of memorizers!), and God’s got us on a journey. Seth, a lawyer, a mighty fine writer, good husband and praying father to four future men — he guest posts here with a few needful...
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moreWhen You feel like Pulling Your Hair Out…
On Thursday, July 26 th, 2012“This is the order of love: First love is patient. And patience is first a willingness to say thanks in suffering. Patience in the moment only comes from gratefulness for the moment. …. ” continue reading . . Feeling the pressure of life? Struggling to be patient...
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moreWhen All Hope Feels Like a Drought
On Wednesday, July 25 th, 2012Aman can watch the sky like a plea. “And we didn’t get nothing — not one drop.” That’s what the farmer’s wife said to me before breakfast. How she headed home from town in a flat-out gully washer of a rain, thinking this was finally it — the whole dark sky like the ocean coming to fi...
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moreweekends are for the best worship
On Saturday, July 14 th, 2012Coming to you live from our drive through Port Au Prince this morning…. {Please consider clicking off music slider just below top nav bar to hear the best kind of worship — right in the midst. RSS readers can view video here… } and what song’s on repeat in my heart Caleb and sweet Kechnaider who needs a sponsor {b: June 25, 2008)R...
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moreWhen You are Looking For Hope
On Friday, July 13 th, 2012‘If there are hopeless places — Haiti is almost a hopeless place.” That’s what the guy in jeans and the stamped up passport had told us before we went anyways. On a street to the south, a man bent and twisted by struggle and sun, he slugs a shovel load of rubble high up into a dump truck. Mounds of charcoal, flip flops, rice, garbage heave ...
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morehow the size of your house has nothing to do with the size of your life
On Tuesday, July 03 rd, 2012After such a week as last week, I’m feeling very small & hushed & I’ve slipped away to the woods with the Farmer & kids. Thank you for prayers last week, for grace as our family tucks away quiet for just a few days…and we’re delighted to invite you up to the front porch to share with some of the best writers on the Web — today, with a ...
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moreWhy You Really May Need to be Done with Safe: Being a Dangerous Disciple of the Unsafe God
On Thursday, June 07 th, 2012My Gran, she’s taking slow walks outside the hospital now. Her heart’s growing stronger, beating certain. I wash down the cupboards in the kitchen. I pray for Gran’s heart attack recovery, for each step she keeps taking, ninety-one and frail-boned and Irish-determined. Life’s a risk and maybe she’s stronger than I am, accepting each heart beat, ea...
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moreA Prayer for the Broken Hearted
On Thursday, May 31 st, 2012The best way to tend to your open wounds is to open your arms. Out-loving is the only ointment that healed anything. : : We’re over here today…
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moreThe Best Way to Start the Week
On Monday, May 28 th, 2012If we aren’t thankful to God for now — why would we be joyful for more? The dandelions keep shaking out their happy manes on the lawn, roaring summer’s triumphant entry. There are ...
