As our friend pondered the tragic loss of a family member last year, he wondered,  "Why do I never feel comfortable when I'm mourning?  Doesn't God promise to comfort us in our grief?" Americans are all about being comfortable. We don't even know what the weather feels like most of the time, unless it's so glorious we decide to risk it and go outside. We don't usually have to suffer heat, cold, or hunger, so we opt out of those inconveniences. We use running water without a second thought, and holler our protests if someone dares flush while we are in the shower. We're a pretty Continue Reading

When I was your age, the classic story goes, I had to walk uphill both ways in the snow to get to school.  If I did my chores all week, I could spend a nickel at the candy counter. Folks who grew up in tougher times like to remind the softer generation how they have a relatively easy life.  Especially if they’ve been through hardships like war, there’s this temptation to wax eloquent about how tough things were back then. Those who have been through the Depression or World War II certainly have a tale worth telling, and those of us who are younger can gain an appreciation for the Continue Reading

I know what you're thinking. Is she one of those theologically liberal women who teach that God is female? Nope. Scripture makes it clear that God is neither male nor female, but rather that he is spirit. The apostle John puts it this way: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” --John 4:24 As a woman, I experience freedom in Christ. I don't feel the need to refer to God as "she," as some folks do. I have no problem thinking of God as my Father. At the same time, I know he is not a man. When God created Adam and then Eve, the process is uniquely Continue Reading

Ever plan a simple, in-town date and have it turn out every bit as wonderful as a well-planned fancy night out in the big city? I love when that happens.   On a recent Friday night, my husband and I head for our local state college's Center for Arts and History to indulge in a poetry reading. Sean Thomas Dougherty is in town, an East Coast poet with a penchant for pool halls.   I get to reconnect with  some English professors from whom I've taken poetry and fiction classes a few years ago. It's a small but appreciative crowd at the reading.   Sean is wonderful to Continue Reading