Essays

Become All Flame

In the ancient Egyptian deserts of the fourth century, an earnest young monk sought the counsel of one of the desert fathers. Hoping to deepen…

Where Does Joy Actually Live?

It’s a question I’ve been thinking about for years. Most of us spend our lives looking for joy. We search for it in success, relationships,…

The Fiat of the Almighty

As our nation marks its 250th anniversary this week, I’ve found myself returning to the words of Frederick Douglass, one of the most courageous and…

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…