Welcome to Part 4 of Debby Bellingham's spiritual practice series. If you missed my introduction to her on Monday, find it here. * * * St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as Godʼs little flower, was born in 1873. This nun’s autobiographical journal, The Story of a Soul, was written because the mother superior of her convent directed her to do so. It was published one year after her death at age 24 in 1897 and it became immediately popular and today still sells in the millions. Therese … [Read more...]
The Eternal Now (Debby Bellingham, Part 3)
September 26, 2012 By 7 Comments
Welcome to Part 2 of Debby Bellingham's spiritual practice series. If you missed my introduction to her on Monday, find it here. * * * In Daniel 1, in the description of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar, we see three different descriptions of God's acts: The Lord lets Jerusalem be besieged (vs. 1-2) God allows favor, honor and compassion to fall on Daniel (vs. 9-16) God gives knowledge, skill, and insight to Daniel (v. 17) The words let, … [Read more...]
The Eternal Now (Debby Bellingham, Part 1)
September 24, 2012 By 5 Comments
While I'm off in Italy, I'm honored to share with you a friend whose spiritual wisdom has shaped me in countless ways. For one year in San Francisco, Debby Bellingham was my spiritual director. She walked with me through my struggles with guilt and continually brought me into the reality of God's abiding love for me. I'm so thankful for her presence in my life and grateful to share her with you. "The Eternal Now" is a four-part series. I'll share it here today through Thursday. Debby's voice is … [Read more...]
And…I’m in Italy!
September 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Actually, I’m not in Italy yet (as this post is going up). I’m still in transit. Somehow, I kissed my kids and made it on the plane without having a soul-explosion. The best thing I keep reminding myself is how happy I am for my kids to have this time with their grandparents. And, especially, for my mother-in-law to have this time with Brooksie. The two of them just haven’t gotten to be together enough in Brooks’ short life. I’m so thrilled for them to know each other in the way only … [Read more...]
{This Sacred Everyday} Suzannah Paul
September 19, 2012 By 18 Comments
I first felt a kinship with Suzannah Paul when I discovered her blog and our shared former youth minister status. Then I realized she grew up the same area of Philadelphia as my husband. Then I realized she not only believes in poetry, she writes it! (Also, she lives at a camp, which is my secret dream.) I had the chance to meet her this past April and she instantly felt like a kindred. So grateful to share her with you today. * * * "Are you writing, or do you want to come for a … [Read more...]
Thankful Tuesday: Blessing in the Leaving
September 18, 2012 By 15 Comments
As we walk into the church, I think about the last Sunday in our church in San Francisco: how we sang the hymns and walked away as a family. How we stopped at the farmer’s market and bought ripe cherries. How we sat at Alamo Square Park and stared at the city scape. My then four-month-old slept against me and I took August’s shirt off as the cherry juice poured down his newly three-year-old chest. That’s how we said goodbye. Today, it’s raining. Rain in a parched land feels holy, like a … [Read more...]
True all the way through (A Deeper Church post)
September 17, 2012 By 1 Comment
I'm very excited to officially announce that I'm joining the ranks at A Deeper Church, a new channel of the site A Deeper Story. I've been following A Deeper Story as long as it's been in existence, admiring the writers and loving how the blog has sought to both ask hard questions of the Church and give the Church good grace. So it's an honor that I have the chance to join my voice in with so many other writers I admire. I'll post over there once a month and I'll be sure to link to it over … [Read more...]
Poem-a-Day Friday: Mark Strand
September 14, 2012 By 6 Comments
This is how it happens: You grieve the news that you will leave your home. You grieve it from afar and then you speak it. You speak it to the people in your world. You speak it with care and with sincerity. You say it over and over and you start to believe: This is true. This is really going to be true. And you organize your kids' clothes. You organize the baby clothes your little boy was wearing 6 months ago. (Six months ago and he was that little? And now that brain of his taking it all in, … [Read more...]
{This Sacred Everyday} Mihee Kim-Kort
September 12, 2012 By 5 Comments
On Sunday mornings, after I drop the twins off in the nursery, and quickly run from their screams (which, thankfully, only last a few minutes, I’m told by the care-givers), I sit. Lean back as comfortably as one can on a wooden church pew. Look up. Breathe. The sanctuary in my husband’s church is large, but relatively modest. It’s Presbyterian, after all. Protestant. Reformed. Meaning, it’s not meant to be extravagantly ornate since that would take away or distract from God’s glory … [Read more...]
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