“…through the door of my friend’s compassion for me, self-compassion came and softened my heart…” It was a simple note really, a text I got this morning from a dear friend: “Thinking of you this morning- sending a little love your way.” Surprisingly, that short, thoughtful text message stirred up a great deal of unexpected emotion in me. You see, what was not said, but clearly understood, is that she’s sending me love because she knows how much I need... Read more
“So many women spend their lives playing small. I call it ungodly contentment. “ It’s funny how adept we are as humans at turning something helpful and good into something less than helpful. Contentment is one of those characteristics that can be a quality of spiritual maturity, or it can be a sign of our refusal to grow up. Though likely just a teen, Mary seemed amazingly mature as she let go of contentment and opened to something new and... Read more
“It is hard to extend compassion to ourselves when others are not doing the same.” It is hard to learn to actively offer compassion to ourselves, to advocate for ourselves. We are given so many messages that say we are supposed to wait for others to discover our needs and find the compassion and courage to advocate for us. And we are fed so many messages that say we are over-reacting when we speak our genuine pain and suffering because... Read more
“Faith moves us toward that which we cannot see” I will be on Midday Connection at noon today talking about chapter one of My Own Worst Enemy. We will be exploring the story of Lot’s wife and how her hesitancy to imagine and move toward a life different from what she had known sabotaged her calling to live radiantly. This is a brief snippet from the book to whet your appetite. Turn in today or download the podcast at your... Read more
“I have learned from wiktionary that regret is just intense grief” I’ve had more than one run in with the painful emotion of regret this week. I said some unkind words of judgment that I wanted to take back shortly after they came off my tongue. I unnecessarily criticized a very valid approach in a conversation with a colleague because I had another strategy. I remained silent when I should have spoken up as my husband and I were considering... Read more
“life doesn’t follow the rules and when it doesn’t, we scramble to make sense of it… “ Unwanted pregnancy resulting from rape is an impossibly complex reality and even more painful than it is complex. How could something so precious and innocent and wonderful as a new baby come from an act of violence so horrific? It seems to deny the very laws of nature that we rely on every day: By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people... Read more
“We see God all around us, and learn to look for God in unusual places.” This beautiful post by a fellow Patheos blogger, Enuma Okoro, reminded me of the gift of seeing broadly, of seeing God in life encounters… Here’s the story of two other women, Naomi and Ruth, who listened broadly… “It is no mistake that the two books named for women in the Bible, Ruth and Esther, have a similar sense of God at work. In both books, God... Read more
“when I am safe for myself, doors of insight tend to open.” As I have said often, my optimum life pace is about 30-35 mph. I don’t know why it helps me to express it in mph units, but it does. Now, that’s not my maximum pace, just my optimum pace, the speed at which I can be most present to my life, making forward progress but not missing the freedom to take in and enjoy all I see along... Read more
“…will we dare to grow up… into the one who extends the unconditional love and deep compassion of Jesus to ourselves?” I have recently been re-reading The Return of the Prodigal by Henri Nouwen, a thoughtful book reflecting on the story of the prodigal son through the lens of Rembrandt’s painting of the same. Nouwen places himself inside each of the characters in that story and offers some wonderful reflections on the love of God. The part of the book... Read more
“When I speak about God, I offer my words as a beginning…” My fellow Patheos blogger, Tony Jones, issued a challenge this week to those who call themselves “Theo-bloggers” to “Write something substantive about God. Not about Jesus, not about the Bible, but about God.” Since I am just now owning the title of blogger, Theo-blogger feels like a stretch. I am also still in that “four generations of women needing extra care” family space, so these aren’t deeply seasoned... Read more
Women, Wisdom, and the Word
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