Courtney Ellis

Hello, dear friends!

It’s been awhile. I signed off social media for Lent and gave the ol’ blog a breather, too. It felt lovely to settle into a slower routine of reflection and prayer, communing with my church and my family rather than the entire Twittersphere for a season.

But lots has happened in the last forty+ days!

For one thing… my finished manuscript is at the publisher! Woot! I submitted it March 1 with this unexplainable mixture of joy and fear and euphoria and exhaustion. It’s out of my hands for now, minus a few emails about cover art and editing questions. What a gift to have my words in the hands of those with such skill.

Later that week Daryl traveled to Chicago for a conference, so my mom came out to hang with the small boys and me. They were in heaven. I was in heaven.

In mid-March I had the absolute honor to lead a weekend women’s retreat for a neighboring church. The highlight was an afternoon art project led by a member of the congregation who is also a professional artist. She set up stations of beautiful handmade paper for us to make collages and many of the women chose to use the theme of my talks (and the upcoming book!) as their inspiration.

I can’t tell you how much fun it was to walk through that room and watch women creating beautiful works of art with the words “simplicity” and “uncluttered” and “silence” all over them. My heart sang.

Our church celebrated Holy Week, and in the usual my-husband-and-I-are-both-pastors-so-something-will-inevitably-go-wrong pattern, both kids came down with a nasty virus for the six days preceding Easter. I’ll spare you the details, but it was ick. 

At one point at the pediatrician’s office dear little Wilson filled his diaper to overflowing… and it overflowed through his pants and the lap of the parent whose pants he was sitting upon.

All I can say is, I married really well and I am 1,000% glad it was not me.

The kids turned the corner Holy Saturday and we were able to worship as a family for Easter. I’m so thankful.

Jesus rose all the same. He’s faithful that way. And Lent ended with Wilson turning two years old (HOW is he so BIG?!) and the glorious celebration of Easter. Daryl and I held hands at the front of the sanctuary and sang, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death…” and I cried and not just a little.

Things will be back on track here soon, friends. Weekly 10-minute devotionals, a good bit of humor, reflections on the state of the church, and stories yet to be told.

Next week I get to go to the Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids and I am beyond excited to listen to some of my literary heroes in person (Fleming Rutledge!!!) and see some old friends who are rapidly turning into literary heroes. Anyone going to be there? Want to hang out?

What’s new with you? How was your Easter?

Lots of love,

C