Love can drive us to do some crazy things sometimes. I eat up delicious stories about outrageous marriage proposals, people risking their lives to save loved ones, and regular Joes stepping in to help perfect strangers in an emergency. What makes us do these things? I would suggest that people who express this kind of … Continue reading Advent Day 10: His Love Buries Your Past →
I first met Jesus because I love chocolate. Yup. I was playing contentedly on a friend’s jungle gym one day when a couple of neighborhood kids suddenly accosted me, saying, “Kelli! You gotta come to this lady’s house ’cause she’ll give you an M & M! And then she’ll give us an M & M … Continue reading Advent Day 9: Dependable Love →
Even if you’re not really a “churchy” person, you’ve probably heard the parable of the prodigal son in the Bible. You know, the story of the kid who demands his inheritance long before his dad is even close to being dead, leaves town, spends everything he has on partying and women, then has to settle … Continue reading Advent Day 8: He Runs to YOU →
As a child of the 60’s, I grew up sans modern technology and everything that comes with it. I remember pretending to talk to my friends on imaginary interstellar walkie-talkie-ish devices like the ones we saw on Star Trek, the closest things to cell phones we’d seen. When I got older and attended the UW … Continue reading Advent Day 7: Love That Calls You Home →
My husband and I ran an inner city ministry in Portland for at risk kids several years ago, and we love telling our stories of lives that were changed by the love of God during those years. People came to us with all kinds of reasons for needing help: mentoring, money, food, homework, bills, advice–but … Continue reading Advent Day 6: Yes, He Really Loves YOU →
I teach first graders, and I love, love LOVE what I do! Besides being a very rewarding job, I have multiple opportunities every day to get closer to God as I navigate the complexities of being Christ-like in all situations, helping every individual student grow, and all the while feeling like I’m playing a rousing … Continue reading Advent Day 5: Getting Close →
We have a chocolate lab, and his name is Truman. Every day he reminds me of God’s relentless love for me. He has no idea he’s doing it, but I’m convinced God sent him to me, just in case I happen to be having a hard time remembering how obsessed my heavenly Father is with … Continue reading Advent Day 4: Relentless Love →
Having a hard time believing God REALLY loves you? Then imagine a little boy and his ant farm. This boy had a particular fondness for his ants, and he spent every spare moment he could admiring them as they tirelessly performed the same mundane tasks day in and day out: moving dirt around, digging new … Continue reading Advent Day 3: Love Breaks Through Barriers →
Last summer I heard a great preacher tell a fascinating story about a girl he once met on a plane. Fresh from partying on Bourbon Street, she plunked herself down–along with her drink–right next to him, turned to him, and asked, “So, what do you do for a living?” Her bourbon breath swirling in his … Continue reading Advent Day 2: God’s Unconditional Love Is a Real Thing →
Christmas time is here, and with it, the celebration of Advent. Not all denominations observe Advent, but those who do know that it’s such a meaningful practice. Even if your church doesn’t go by the traditional four weeks of Advent, I bet it still does special things leading up to Christmas. So, what is Advent, … Continue reading 10 Advent Verses To Read With Your Family →