Dribbling Glory
Last week, a former student stayed with us. We’ve known her since she was a kid, so she knows a lot about us. But for five days she was privy to all that makes us a red-blooded, human family: our arguments, our chaos, our morning breath… Living side-by-side with people, seeing them in all their pre-coffee, bed headed glory, reveals new facets of their character. Letting others into private spaces where they can see the unfiltered us takes courage. It’s risky. The stakes are high. Having someone observe us day in and day out forces the “R” word out into the open. Reality. And reality is not always attractive. I am a broken, messy person, and the things in my soul are sometimes not very pretty. There are parts of me I would rather have nobody see. But...
Read MoreForgiveness Changes Everything
Natalia* was stunning in a flowing fuchsia gown, her silky blond hair curling over her shoulders. I had just shared my story at The Closet Ministry’s “Beautiful You”, an event where girls receive free prom dresses and makeovers. Natalia had won some music of mine and wanted me to sign the CD. While I stood there, pen in hand, the words began to pour out from the deep places inside her heart. “Friends” have spoken cruel words that cut deep, leaving rivers of lies that shape the landscape of this young girl’s whole life. So much pain, already. As hard as Natalia’s story is, it is not unique or even uncommon. I hear it echoed from the lips of broken-hearted teens, from grown women who have never forgotten and never quite healed. Sometimes the cruelty is much...
Read MoreWell, That Was Awkward
I am, perhaps, one of the most awkward people on the planet. I trip when I walk. I drop stuff. And my dancing is a thing of nightmares – just ask my children. But one of the worst things is my mouth. I talk too much and at inappropriate times, and my words come out tangled and wrong and sounding completely moronic. I’m still tempted to cringe over a party we attended a few weeks ago. Most of the people there were friends we hadn’t seen in several years, and life has changed a lot for all of us. I’m not sure what my problem was, exactly. I was tired; my guard was down. I was anxious for these old friends to see how much I’ve changed since God’s grace grabbed hold of me and shook me loose of my need for applause. (How’s that for irony?) Whatever the reason, I...
Read MoreTo Hear and Be Heard
She stood in the parking lot between me and the JAARS library door. I had come to our mission center to run some errands, but I could see by her expression that she wanted to talk. A small, quiet hello. A smile that didn’t touch the liquid pain in her eyes. Her kids are in our youth group, and I know parts of their story. Like nearly all our families, transition and loss, grief and turmoil have been part of their reality. We’d had several conversations about these issues recently. Now was not a good time. Mentally scrolling through the list of things I needed to accomplish, glancing at my girls waiting patiently in the car, I forced a smile and tried to remind myself that this is why we are here in this ministry. To listen. And normally I love to listen to...
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