I gently placed the pine cone in Stella’s tender hands, careful not to let its rough edges scratch her. Stella, my two-year-old granddaughter, had spent the day after her mother’s surgery close to her, perhaps a daughterly instinct to care for her mom. But the next day, she was ready to romp with me. We …
The phrase jumped off the page. “Let go and let God.” I flinched. And then I asked myself why. Why did that phrase cause an automatic response within me? I was sitting among several kindred spirits. The person who read the devotion had no idea I winced. As a pastor, I sometimes heard it in …
Most news companies and book publishers have a “summer reading list” of book titles guaranteed to keep us reading from June to September. They roll out list after list, from books to read on the beach, to books for a rainy summer day, to the perfect reads before drifting off to a summer night’s dream. …
Michael’s eyes darted around his classroom, hoping to find a familiar face. It was his first day in school, first grade. His parents had explained that this school would provide him with more opportunities, better facilities, and diverse resources. Hopefully, he would make friends, too. As Michael continued investigating his surroundings, he realized he was …
“Look up there,” I whispered to Luna, my four-year-old grandniece. We were exploring the backyard while the adults were visiting inside. “You can show me Roo’s (Luna’s great-grandmother) patio and yard,” I said as I leaned down, grasping her fingers in mine. So Luna took me on a tour, and I invited her to find …