On Monday I came home from a wonderful weekend at a Christian camp. My little boys and my husband and I got to worship in God’s beautiful creation, spend time in prayer, talk about what Jesus is doing in our midst. Instead of preaching, we received. Instead of leading, we rested. Instead of being “on,” … More Let Us Confess It * 10 Minute Devotional
We went camping as a family for the first time last week. Two kids. Two nights. Three adults (all the praise hands, a dear friend visited from Chicago and braved the wilds with our brood). I’ll admit, I was a little terrified. Part of my fear was borne from a childhood of camping trips. We made … More 10 Tips for Camping with Kids
Because sometimes we miss what’s right in front of our noses. … More Learning to See *10 Minute Devotional
Every time I’ve been on social media lately, I’ve logged off feeling like I need to take a shower. The vitriol in the public sphere seems to be reaching a fevered pitch. We must speak truth in love. We must stand against injustice. We must be a people of action, not just words. But … More When it Gets Ugly Out There * 10 Minute Devotional
As a 90s youth group kid, I spent a lot of years singing songs that haven’t aged particularly well. There is the line in “Knowing You” that tells God “you’re the BEST,” like he’s a super good mailman or something. There are the dorky motions to “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High.” There is the overwrought chorus to … More Where’s the Help? * 10 Minute Devotional
I live in California. AKA paradise. Except for home prices, traffic, and the occasional earthquake, it’s pretty amazing here. One of my favorite parts of southern California is the palm tree. You can’t throw a rock in my neighborhood without hitting one. You can’t drive a block without spotting one. To me, palm trees say: … More Let Your Roots Be Crazy * 10 Minute Devotional
When I think all the technological innovations that have happened since I was a college student, it makes my head spin. Smart phones, tablets, wearables. Facebook, Spotify, Pinterest. Don’t even get me started on Twitter. As a college sophomore, I remember laughing at the one student who had a hands-free bluetooth for his phone. I’m sure … More Unplugging for Life
Go swimming, eat Popsicles, set up a sprinkler in the yard… blah, blah, blah. Anyone with half a brain can come up with those ways to beat the summer heat. But when temperatures rise like crazy and stay there for months, you need a few more tools in your arsenal. Drink something warm Yeah, I know it sounds … More 10 Creative Ways to Beat the Summer Heat
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
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
Courtney Ellis 