Magna-tiles are the most-played-with toy in our home. They are also the most likely to cause a sibling squabble. My daughter will spend thirty minutes crafting the perfect castle for her unicorn, but then her little brother will stomp on it. She will in turn knock over the tall tower he painstakingly built. After many… Continue reading Created to Create
The clock strikes 5:00 p.m., and I set my rambunctious kids in front of the television so I can make dinner. In the silence, I heat olive oil in a pan and brown chicken thighs. I chop potatoes and carrots then whisk together a balsamic sauce. I take a deep breath, savoring the delicious smells… Continue reading A Recipe for the Christian Life
People hold strong opinions as to when it’s acceptable to start listening to Christmas music. For me (while I briefly turn on Bing Crosby’s Christmas album in July), I usually begin listening to my Christmas playlists towards the beginning of November—right around the time daylight savings ends. While the days grow shorter, darker, and colder,… Continue reading Repeat the Sounding Joy
Today, I finished the one-year Bible reading plan I started in January…of 2021. Yes, it has taken me one year, ten months, and eighteen days to complete 365 days of readings. In the past, I probably would have felt anything from mild embarrassment to deep self-condemnation over my inability to keep up with the reading… Continue reading He’s Where the Joy Is
My jaw dropped when my four-year-old daughter willingly donned her puddle jumper and sauntered into the water without protest. Holding onto her daddy’s hand, she laughed as the foaming cold waves slapped against her thighs. She yelled for them to go deeper, and eventually I could only make out the tops of their goldens heads.… Continue reading Slow Growth Through Ordinary Moments
A few weeks ago, I spent two and a half hours chatting with three different Apple support staff. I read no less than a dozen how-to articles from various tech websites. I even called my PC-loving husband with a last-ditch request for help. The first question was always the same: “Have you tried restarting it?”… Continue reading Have You Tried Restarting It?
At 6:41 a.m., love is patient. He is patient with me as I press “snooze” on my phone alarm once, then twice, finally a third time. He waits as I check my email, scroll social media, and sip my coffee before finally pulling out his Word. He does not hold my tardiness against me but… Continue reading Love Is
My hands gripped the steering wheel, my mouth was pulled taut, and my eyes squinted to discern the lines on the interstate through sheets of rain. I heard the peaceful breathing of my sleeping children in the backseat, blissfully unaware of the terror seizing my heart as I drove through minute after minute of pouring… Continue reading The Lord is my Shepherd
I’m a word person. My favorite games are Scrabble and Bananagrams, and I have a thesaurus app on my phone. I love to read and write, and my husband probably gets tired of all the words that pour out of my mouth. So it’s of no surprise that I’m also one of those people who… Continue reading Remembering God’s Faithfulness in 2021
“‘Absolute futility,’ says the Teacher. ‘Absolute futility. Everything is futile’” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, CSB). The words from my morning quiet time (that had unfortunately been cut short) echoed through my mind as I stood in a long line, tapping the strap of my purse and straining to glimpse what was happening at the front of the… Continue reading Absolute Futility
Bethany Broderick 