We’ve finally arrived. Today is the last day of Advent: Christmas Eve. I pray that the past 24 days have been a time of spiritual renewal, deeper relationships and meaningful engagement. As we enter into the Christmas season, I wanted to share with you a practice that has made a huge difference in my life: gratitude. Every day I take time to explore gratitude both personally and with my kids. We do this through a series of “morning questions.” They... Read more

One of the practices that developed early as a regular part of celebrating Advent in Christian communities was the retelling of God’s story. Each year individuals would take time to recall the history of what God had done in the world. They would recount the history of God’s faithfulness as seen in the lives of the people recorded in the Hebrew Bible who waited for God’s promised messiah and they would remember the lives of the saints who had gone... Read more

I love to study the history of Christian worship. It is fascinating to discover the many ways that people in different times and places have learned to direct their hopes, hearts, and lives to God in worship. About seven years ago my family and I moved to Washington D.C. so I could study the history of Christian worship with some of the leading scholars and historians. It was a fantastic experience. I learned that there were certain key centers of... Read more

Food is my love language. Perhaps you know someone like me. I love to offer food, cook delicious meals for my family, and try out new recipes to share with others. I also love to get food! Nothing makes me feel more loved and appreciated than having a meal made for me. A few years ago my family and I were going through a strained time financially. We had moved to Michigan to start a new business, but the doors... Read more

We’ve talked a lot about joy this week. Today I want to give you twenty ideas you can do every day that will help you practice joy in your own life. Smile at strangers. Take a 20 minute walk somewhere new. When you notice something good around you, say one nice thing about it. Build fifteen extra minutes into an errand and take that time to find out one new thing about each person you encounter. Begin a day by... Read more

We often sing the song, “Joy to the World” at this time of the year. This song has come to be a favorite carol on many Christmas albums, but I’ve noticed something interesting; there is one verse that is often omitted in recordings. It’s the verse that goes: No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far... Read more

The author C.S. Lewis is considered one of the most influential Christian writers of the twentieth century. He activated the faith and imagination of millions of people with fictional works like The Chronicles of Narnia, series. He also has had a significant impact through his books on theology, like his highly influential Mere Christianity. In one of his most personal books, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis tell of his own journey from Atheism to Christianity. In Lewis’ life he identifies... Read more

A few months ago someone on my social network shared a video of a man singing Schubert’s Ave Maria at DisneyWorld. In the video it appears that the man had simply been walking with his daughter and encountered a pianist in the lobby of the Grand Flordinian. He began to sing along with the pianist and his voice is incredible. I love the video because it seems so spontaneous. The man is singing a piece that some consider the crowning... Read more