Pentecostal Kids
When you grow up Pentecostal, pool days look a little different. First of all, you have to wear a whole piece swim suit, or if you have on a bikini, you have to cover it with a t-shirt. Second, only one gender at a time in the pool to avoid “mixed bathing”, because look how…
Shadows
Fall has officially come, with its bright colors, unpredictable temperatures, and feeling of being just on the cusp of something. I’m not sure what it is about this season, but even when I was a child, there was a certain feeling in my chest that manifested by mid-September or early October. The sensation of being…
Finding the Funny, Even in Funerals
“A few years ago, when my dad was still sick and this preacher came to pray with us at the hospital, he thanked God that our family was able to deal with hard situations with joy,” I said. “I remember thinking it was funny that he saw it that way because I’d never thought of…
Sitting in the Dark: A Devotion
I’ve been trying to branch out and read more non-fiction lately. In addition to the humor writings of Tina Fey and David Sedaris, and all the Joan Didion I can get my hands on (decidedly not humor writing), I’ve been reading the work of a lot of Christian essayists— Jen Hatmaker, Rachel Held Evans, Shauna…
Bossypants and Bad Behavior
Being married is sometimes freakishly hard. I see couples who have been together 30, 40, or 50 years, and I think they must possess some magical skill that I have yet to develop. I think that maybe the reason we never read that Jesus married anyone is because it would’ve been a stretch for him…
Sanctuary
When my anxiety gets out of control, or my mind is racing too much to concentrate on reading books, my default coping mechanism is binge-watching Gilmore Girls. I think it’s comforting to me because it’s the show I watched with my mom growing up, and we always sort of pictured our relationship as similar to…
The Bittersweet Spot
I made it through Mother’s Day. It doesn’t sound like much of an accomplishment, but compared to the previous years, it’s pretty impressive. No tears, no theatrics. Just brunch, time with family, shopping, and takeout for dinner. I skipped church and I’m not sorry because I’m not ready to push myself quite that hard yet.…
My Favorite Place to Run Away: Origami Ink
I have always loved stories. This year on my birthday, Uncle Jesse sent me a bunch of pictures from my childhood, some of which I don’t remember ever seeing before, and there was a common theme. In a bunch of them, there was a book on my lap. I remember learning to read before I…
Longing for Egypt
My mom used to love this song by Building 429, “Where I Belong.” One of the last videos we have of her leading worship at church was her singing that song. Helen Keller used to sing it on the praise team all the time, and Mom loved it. It’s about not fitting anywhere. It’s about…
Inside Storms, Outside Storms: A Devotion
Verses: Mark 4:35-41 “Am I ever going to fit anywhere? Does the perfect place for me even exist?” These are questions that go through my mind more often than I can count. I think I am constantly a “square peg in a round hole”, as my preacher used to say. I’ve only really felt like…
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Setting Up Stones 