Originally published May 12, 2016. How often do you feel afraid? Back in college I played hockey, rock climbed, and regularly took solo trips to less-than-stellar neighborhoods. I knew how to take a hit on the ice rink. I rarely looked over my shoulder downtown. I loved the exhilaration of finishing a tough lead climb–of almost … More God’s 911 * 10 Minute Devotional
Daryl got on a plane yesterday. He’s headed to a conference in Chicago, one for pastors with PhDs (which I sometimes call his annual nerd-pile, but then again, “nerd” is a compliment in our house). He goes each year and we always miss him but love all the stories and energy he brings back. We … More Life in the Age of Coronavirus
“I have spent countless nights lying awake.” * An Advent Reflection on darkness by Moriah Conant … More Darkness * An Advent Reflection
Only two weeks into the kindergarten school year everything was going beautifully. Until a classmate told my son he was going to bring a gun. … More We Follow Through Our Fears
Surprising lessons on stillness from a familiar Psalm. … More When God Insists on Rest * 10 Minute Devotional
Because sometimes what we ask for and what we really need are verrrrry different things. … More 5 Prayers I’m Glad God Said “No” To
An old Wheaton acquaintance of mine, Brett McCracken, created this great graphic. I came across it on Facebook last week and it stopped me in my tracks. You guys, yes. It seems so obvious – build everything on Scripture, learn from our local church and the great church tradition, spend time in nature, read books (actual, … More First Things First * 10 Minute Devotional
There are a few things in life I’m really good at doing. I can bake a mean gluten-free cupcake. I know how to tell a story. I can almost always hold the attention of a group of kids (in part because I don’t have any problems acting ridiculous…). But waiting? I am bad at waiting. Like, super bad. Terrible, … More Grace for In-Between Times * 10 Minute Devotional
There are few things more lonely and scary than God’s silence. I once witnessed a woman throw a rosary into a trash can after being informed her son had died. “I prayed for him to be healed,” she said, her voice firm, her eyes hollow. “Now I know there is no God.” If you walk with … More When God Seems Silent * 10 Minute Devotional
The first church I pastored was in rural Wisconsin. Farm country. We lived on the town’s main thoroughfare, and our toddler son often stood glued to the front window watching tractors roll down the street. A man in our congregation heard that Daryl had never driven a tractor (why this surprised him I do not know, since Daryl grew … More Waking Up in Anxious Times * 10 Minute Devotional
Courtney Ellis 