Joy has an address

Everyone wants joy, even if we call it by different names. Some pursue success. Others chase comfort, security, achievement, or recognition. Beneath those specific pursuits,…

Back to the Future

Sometimes we need to go back to move forward. When Mary Magdalene and the other women arrived at Jesus’ empty tomb on resurrection morning, an…

What We Grip Grips Back

Whatever we possess will eventually possess us. Whatever we hold onto long enough will eventually grip us back. This is true with harmful things like…

The Mender of My Broken Heart

Wow, it’s remarkable how quickly time passes. One year ago, we celebrated Madelyn’s college graduation (BSW), and last month, we celebrated her graduate school graduation…

Knowing the Tides

Near the end of his life, my father-in-law, John Beal, wrote a powerful William Shakespeare quote into his journal. Shakespeare had written about the tides—the…

Easter Dresses

I will never forget the moment and it still melts me even in memory. One Easter Sunday morning many years ago, my daughters were getting…

The Watchdog (100-word story)

I never envied Apollo or his sleepless nights outside the nursery door, keeping watch over the precious life within, at least never until the evening…

The 23rd Psalm without God

The other day, Madelyn shared a fascinating, poignant observation with Jessica and me about the famous 23rd psalm. Regardless of one’s religious orientation, most people…