There’s something on the inside of each of us that desires holiness. Created in God’s image, we each bear this mark of God on the inside of us, and something within us desires to feel clean and “good.” Different people seek to satisfy this desire in different ways, even if they’ve never heard of God.Continue reading “Grace for guilt”
Category Archives: Kingdomtide
Breaking ground
It’s easier to see the purpose of the pain in retrospect. In the moment, it can be difficult to understand the pain of growth, unless we know there is purpose in the suffering. Just as a child endures a stormy week of tears before reaching a new developmental milestone, so we often struggle when onContinue reading “Breaking ground”
Choose today
It’s Monday as I write this, after a long and difficult night with a teething baby. Lately, I find myself at a crossroads. Life is beginning to demand more maturity and strength than I have ever given before. Some days, defeat looms large over me before the day has even begun, and anxious thoughts threatenContinue reading “Choose today”
Love of strangers
No series on women and the home would be complete without a section devoted to hospitality. I remember hearing a good deal on the subject when I was growing up; maybe it was a trend at the time. I used to put together elaborate tea parties for my sisters, and pore over beautifully-illustrated books aboutContinue reading “Love of strangers”
Thoughts on influence
If you have sisters, you’ve likely seen influence in action. I have five sisters and a mom who is like a sister to me, and I cherish each one’s advice and perspective. Last year I visited my mom and two of my sisters for the holidays, a joyful time of making lots of good foodContinue reading “Thoughts on influence”
An integrated life
What an age we find ourselves in. It’s an era of taking postures, keeping up appearances and outing anyone whose logic is faulty or whose actions haven’t measured up to their ideals. I see teachers and leaders issuing statements and caveats, and now that everyone has their own small platform it seems we are allContinue reading “An integrated life”
The foundation
“So, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on rock. But everyone who hears these words of mineContinue reading “The foundation”
A wise woman trusts
It begins with just an empty lot, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by the other unassuming houses. People look out their windows, wondering at the boundaries being staked off with orange thread. In the weeks that follow, the work begins; digging the footers, pouring the foundation, building the floor system. As the walls go up,Continue reading “A wise woman trusts”
Building the kingdom
When we think of building a house, or an environment, for ourselves and our families, there are a few levels to which we can extend this metaphor. Our first home is our self: body and mind. These work in harmony; when one is negatively affected, the other often suffers too. Many of us are learningContinue reading “Building the kingdom”
Building her house
Women are such a beautiful creation of God, given an awesome capacity for nurturing and making any place feel like “home.” For many of us, it’s in our nature to see the needs of others and try to meet them, whether physical or emotional. As I understand it, in Jewish thought, a wife (bayit) isContinue reading “Building her house”
