Recent statistics show that 1 in 9 Americans are food insecure. This means that there are millions of people in the United States who regularly don’t know where their next meal will come from. This is heartbreaking. My work at Hope Clinic puts me in contact with people who live this reality every day. Mothers will often come in desperate for food because they had to choose between paying the heating bill and shopping for food. Thankfully, Hope is able... Read more

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a popular holiday where I live, and lots of people go out to celebrate with food, drink and festivities. I sometimes wonder how many of these joyful observers of St. Patrick’s Day take time to consider who St. Patrick really was. It’s too bad more people don’t consider his story, because St. Patrick can help us gain essential insights into what God’s love looks like in action. His story is one of radical forgiveness... Read more

When I was a kid, I loved to read the “funnies” in the paper every weekend. I enjoyed seeing the cartoonists offer a funny take on normal human life. It helped me to feel like I wasn’t alone in the daily challenges of life. Over the years, I saw new comic s0trips come and go; but one seemed to remain constant:  Peanuts. Not only did Peanuts have an incredibly long run, but its humor remains relevant to this day. There... Read more

Every year I look forward to an annual trip to my father-in-law’s cabin in the middle of the Hiawatha National Forest, located in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. I love this trip because it allows me to turn off the noise that permeates my everyday life.   There is no electricity, no phone service, and no distractions.  It is wonderful.   During this week, I am forced to stop and experience the splendor around me. I am reminded that the natural beauty of the world is... Read more

I have to make a confession: I’m terrible at remembering to pray. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve resolved to pray more often, only to completely forget. Prayer can so easily get lost and forgotten in the busyness of life.     This is one of the reasons I love Lent. The season of Lent reminds me to take seriously the task of prayer. It challenges me to move beyond my intentions to pray and actually make a plan.   “Jesus... Read more

I have to make a confession: I’m terrible at remembering to pray. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve resolved to pray more often, only to completely forget. Prayer can so easily get lost and forgotten in the busyness of life.    This is one of the reasons I love Lent. The season of Lent reminds me to take seriously the task of prayer. It challenges me to move beyond my intentions to pray and actually make a plan.  This... Read more

One of the reasons I love working at Hope Clinic is that the work we do is rooted in a Christian Anthropology. We believe that every person who walks through our doors has been created in the image of God, and as such, has an innate dignity. We believe every life is sacred and reflects in some unique way a picture of who God is.   This means that every interaction with another person is an encounter on holy ground.   It... Read more

Today is the Jewish holiday of Purim. It is a holiday that remembers the story of Esther, a woman who saved the Jewish people in exile through her bold advocacy on their behalf. The holiday of Purim has a tradition that I think is marvelous. On this day, people are encouraged to practice random acts of kindness for their friends and for those who are in need.   If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews... Read more

One common thread throughout the Bible is the theme of hospitality. Over and over, scripture records stories about people who were hospitable and people who were not hospitable. Often in these stories those who offer hospitality discover that when they welcomed in a stranger, they were actually welcoming God into their home and life. Here are just a few examples:  In Genesis 18, Abraham sees three travelers and welcomes them in only to have the voice of the visitors suddenly become... Read more

I recently saw a study done by researchers at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute about the impact of clutter on a person’s ability to focus. It turns out that the space you are in matters! If you are in a cluttered space, the jumble around you will actually compete for your neurons. In other words, clutter will slow down your ability to process and will rob you of your focus.   I know I have experienced this in my own life. When I walk... Read more