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
My husband hates awkward conversations. Back when we were dating, there would be a natural pause in the conversation and he’d turn red and look at me with fear and say, “Well, this is awkward.” I think conversational silences are nice – a way to breathe and regroup and think and just be together. But … More Seasoned with Salt * 10 Minute Devotional
With all the Fourth of July festivities, I’ve been thinking about Philippians lately. (Say what?) Give me a sec – I’ll explain. Orange County, California, where we live, DOES the Fourth of July like none other. It’s Red-White-and-Blue-Fest 2016 out there. Fireworks. Picnics. Parades. Themed clothing. You name it. I love the Fourth of July. … More A Citizen of Where? * 10 Minute Devotional
Our firstborn has been learning that sometimes when things break they can’t be fixed. He’ll bring a toy to Daryl or me with a quivering lip and ask us to fix it. Most of the time we can—between duct tape and super glue and a screwdriver, most toys will go back together. But sometimes they won’t. … More If God is For Us * 10 Minute Devotional
It’s been a rough few weeks in America, hasn’t it? News headlines have read like something out of The Hunger Games. There was the Stanford rape case. Suicide bombings in the Middle East. Zika virus threatening the Olympics. A resurgence of hemorrhagic fever in western Africa. The vitriol of this election cycle. And, of course, the atrocity … More Think About Such Things * 10 Minute Devotional
Nothing good happens at 3am. Friends of mine had a baby who woke them crying at 3am. Evan went to check on him. In the dark room, he leaned over the crib to pick the little guy up when the baby violently spit up all over them both. Half-asleep and covered in baby vomit, Evan … More Step Out * 10 Minute Devotional
My father grew up in the little farm town of Washington, Illinois just outside Peoria. He spent his childhood playing cowboys and setting off firecrackers down by the creek, walking to school (uphill both ways in the snow, according to him, but that’s another story…) and worshiping at Grace Presbyterian. He loved his town, and we went … More Jesus is in the Boat * 10 Minute Devotional
Matthew 28:16-20 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all … More This is a Football * 10 Minute Devotional
Daily devotions don’t always stick. Quiet times are hard. I know I’m not the only one who has started a new time-alone-with-God program only to have it fizzle in a month (or a week, or a day…). Ever since we welcomed our first son in 2012, I’ve found devotions to be even more of a challenge. There are … More Shame & Transformation * 10 Minute Devotional
Courtney Ellis 