Ellen Painter Dollar, a fellow Patheos blogger, is smart, brave, and her perspective always challenges me. I’m honored to have her join us here as we walk along (in her words) “the crooked way of grace.” * “Sophia” has become a popular girl’s name (the most popular girl’s name in 2012, in fact). But for me, it is the one word that leads me to authentic prayer. I have always struggled with prayer, and do not have a regular daily... Read more
If you’ve never heard me complain about San Francisco weather, it’s because when we moved back, I decided to put on big girl panties and stop moaning about this city. (If you ever read my old posts from four years ago, you will hear a lot of whining.) When we moved back, I decided I was not going to be just a visitor yacking about how cold it is. I was going to embrace the weather as one of... Read more
I’ve only begun to get to know Jennifer Grant this year, but in these several months I have found her genuine, kind, and always willing to encourage and advise a newbie writer like me. It’s a treat to have her as part of this series. — If you’re a parent, you’ve likely been through something like this: Your child retreats, innocently enough, into another part of the house in search of a book or a Lego figure or a lovey... Read more
One year ago today, my grandfather left this world. We wept the way you weep for a good man. We wept like every old man hopes his family will weep for him. Pawpaw was special. Nearly ninety years old and gentle and kind and patient. He knew how to tell the best stories and how to fix anything. He was simple and came from simple people. He loved to sing the deep bass lines in hymns and bake the best... Read more
Amy Young is a new blogger-friend in my life and I’m thankful for the chance to host a writer I’m still getting to know in this space. Thanks for being here, Amy! * We had a couple of days to kill after a conference ended and before we needed to head back home – me to Beijing, and my friend Sherri to Hefei, Anhui, China – and had decided to spend it reading by the hotel pool. Glorious! I tend... Read more
My Dearest Benedict, You and I didn’t meet in the regular way. I wasn’t making lifelong vows in a sacred space, a cross pressed to my chest, holy fingers on my forehead. Instead, I was soaking in an Epson salt bath, recovering from birthing a child. (Something I’m guessing, you encountered little of in your cloistered life. Though, of course, who can be sure?) I was reading a book and stumbled on a few lines about you. Maybe one sentence?... Read more
It’s been extra quiet around here while I’ve been visiting family on the East coast. So I’m super happy that Anna Broadway is willing to be here today. Anna is a local writer in the San Francisco area and has been a support to me throughout my time living there. I find her and her writing so courageous, especially when she navigates her Christian faith, sex and singleness. (Read her book!) I’m always impressed by her honesty and challenged by... Read more
Andrea Palpant Dilley and I met at church in Austin, where she led my writer’s group and cheered on my work when I most needed it. I’m so grateful for her voice, her generosity, her friendship, and her willingness to be here today. * * * Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart Naught be all else to me, save that thou art A few weeks ago, I had one of those difficult days in which I found... Read more
When did we grow up? It wasn’t then, when we stood in the mountain meadow, flowers in my hair. And your hair, oh, honey. Your hair was such a mess. It took you four years to believe me that conditioner would do you good. That product would REALLY do you good. You stood in that meadow with that hair and I loved you. I loved you, imperfect. Imperfectly, I loved you. Now, you get that serious line across your mouth,... Read more
Holly A. Grantham writes beautiful, rich prose that runs deep. And she does it without making it look hard. One of the things I love most about this series is the opportunity to introduce you all to the bloggers I love to read, in hopes that you will too. Add Holly to your list, will you? In all respects, I should have been a spoiled child. I was a surprise baby (child number five), with ten years separating me... Read more
Micha Boyett
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