Wisdom of the Wounded

What is the most wonderful gift you can give a suffering person?  You don’t have to go to the mall to buy it, you don’t have to wrap it, it’s free, and it is one of the most powerful ways to be God’s light to those who are struggling. What do you think that gift […]

Did you know that the word “comfort” is derived from a Greek word that means “to come alongside and encourage?” God says, “Go comfort my People” and asks us to walk alongside someone during their times of pain. But that’s not always easy, is it? Nicholas Walterstorff, a well-known theologian and author of Lament of […]

My sister, Loretta, is one of my favorite people in the whole world; so I could hardly stand it when I received the news that her house had burned and was totally destroyed on the inside.  I called her immediately and one of the first things I said was, “Just think Loretta, you will get […]

So many times, when someone comes to us and tells us about their pain, we aren’t sure how to respond. So we say the first thing that comes to mind, which often sounds like advice. For example, we might say, “What you need is some time away” or, “Have you considered reading the book______? It […]

Are you comfortable praying aloud in public? If you are, good for you! I have a confession: praying aloud is uncomfortable for me. I just don’t know what to say. Yet I believe in the power of prayer, and we are told to “Pray for the sick.” (James 5:14.) So when I pray for someone […]

How can you pray when you can’t find the words? Sometimes the news is so awful, that words escape us. Or the situation is so shocking that we are momentarily stunned into silence. But we want to help our suffering loved one or friend. Prayer connects us with God and empowers us to help others. […]

My daughter-in law bought me a bouquet of flowers. Isn’t that nice?! But then she gave my flowers to another woman. Why did she do that? Here is the story: While at the grocery store my daughter-in-law Jeri saw pretty bouquets of flowers and decided to buy one for me. While Jeri was in the […]

Years ago, my husband Larry and I set off on a grand adventure: we spent 14 months on a 32-foot sailboat, traveling the open ocean. (With our two small children aboard, I might add!) It certainly was an exciting time. When I started my ministry, I realized that life on the water helped me understand […]

A friend of mine recommended Wayne Cordeiro’s book Leading on Empty, which talks about the important topic of pastor burnout. The title really grabbed me. I wonder: is a pastor you know running on empty . . . or maybe even walking (or crawling!) on empty? My friends Jan and Craig Hoffman are retired pastors. […]

How can we care for and energize our pastors? Here are three creative ideas, shared by two experienced pastors. Consider donating to my “book allowance.” I’d like to be able to order that book you ask about, or that I see someone else reading. It’ll be on my office shelf, I may use it for […]