We all reach moments when news reaches us from across the years: an old friend, someone with whom we once shared a season of our lives, has suffered an unimaginable tragedy. We are no longer close enough to simply walk through their front door, yet we long to offer comfort without intruding on the sanctity…
Conversations in the Quiet Hills
The other day I found myself wondering about Jesus and his relationship with his Father. On numerous occasions, the Gospels tell us he would slip away from the crowds, stepping off into the lonely hills to “pray.” But stripped of the solemnity we usually attach, he was simply going off to talk to his Dad.…
The Quiet Way
Ralph Ellison’s question in Invisible Man cuts straight to the human soul: “What was all this obsession with enemies anyway?” It is a question as urgent today as when he wrote it. We live in a world that constantly demands we take a side—that we remain vigilant, watching for the next threat, the next adversary,…
Morning Humor
One of my favorite phrases has always been “plug away.” Officially, it means to persist through effort—to keep putting one foot in front of the other. But whenever I hear it, I immediately picture the classic cartoon Pluggers, with its affectionate nod to the down-to-earth people who quietly keep the world spinning. Back when my…
Gratitude
Life has a funny way of throwing us a curveball right when we think we’ve got our stance figured out. Nobody knows that better than Michael J. Fox. Through his foundation, he’s been a beacon of light for folks navigating Parkinson’s disease, but even the strongest light can flicker. In his memoir, No Time Like…