So how? How can we settle down the busyness, the anxiety, the constant swarm of activities and practice God’s blessing of Sabbath rest? If we want to take seriously God’s words of life—knowing that these commands are made for us, that, as Jesus says in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath is made for people,” to help … More The How – Sabbath Part 3
Why do people say rude things to pregnant women? It’d be comical if it wasn’t so annoying. Now that Baby #2 is on the outside, I’m not on the receiving end of these comments anymore. (Can you HEAR the hallelujahs?) But for those of you who are currently pregnant, feel free to send this link to everyone you … More Top 10 Things Not to Say to a Pregnant Woman
Being a parent can be scary. It is rough out there. There are the culture wars—Democrat versus Republican, conservative versus liberal, Independent versus I’m-moving-to-Canada. There are the mommy wars—breast versus bottle, carrier versus stroller, working versus stay-at-home (and thus, working harder). And then, of course, there are actual wars. Terror attacks that come near our … More The Hope of the World
If you haven’t read it, start with last Friday’s introductory post on Sabbath here. Have you ever been given a gift you didn’t really want? When I graduated high school one of my favorite teachers gave me four rolls of quarters at my graduation party. Sure, it was $40, but it seemed a really odd … More But Why? Sabbath Practice Part 2
Churchgoers have a pastor. Pastors have pastors, too. Folks who have mentored us, worked alongside us, prayed for us, listened to us. Folks who invite us in from the cold when the tough gets going, who help us to gather around the warm fireplace of Scripture and friendship and encourage us to remember once again … More My Friend Eugene
I once rode a hospital elevator to visit a friend recovering from surgery and this really good looking guy got on. This was back in my single days, so I entertained a brief fantasy about how his name was probably Sean and he’d notice my stylish leather jacket and ask me to dinner and we’d go … More Fully Known, Fully Loved
In an essay he wrote in 1930, John Maynard Keynes predicted a 15-hour workweek by 2030, when we’d all have time to enjoy “the hour and the day virtuously and well.” During the 1950s during the post-WWII boom in productivity, along with rising incomes and standards of living, led economists and politicians to predict that … More The Busyness Trap: Sabbath Practice Part 1
You love Jesus. You love learning. You’re interested in serving in ministry. The question comes up… Should you go to seminary? It’s a spiritual question, of course, but it’s a practical one as well. I’m deeply grateful for my seminary degree and experience, but there are a few things I wish I would have thought … More So You Want to Go to Seminary
We had a baby! After all that anticipation and waiting (40 weeks, 4 days – or, if we go by how it felt, approximately 12 years of pregnancy…), it happened. Our sweet, squishy, snuggly baby boy has finally arrived earth-side! He’s here! I am a birth story junkie. I just love them. I wrote up our … More Wilson’s Birth Story
One of the Sabbath practices at our home is listening to a sermon. It’s one of our ways of worshiping as members of God’s great congregation in a way we don’t get to do when we are leading worship on Sundays. One blogger I know describes leading worship as being “on, like Beyoncé at a concert on.” … More Top 10 Sermons Winter 2015/Spring 2016
Courtney Ellis 