7 Books I Loved & 1 I…Didn’t

June 15, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Books! Let’s just talk for a second about how books are pulling heroic weight right now. I’m using them in so many ways: To dive into other lives. To escape. To shape my comprehension of things I don’t understand. To feel like I’m part of the larger world even in quarantine. To discover new ideas […]

Pandemic Book Log

May 28, 2020.Reading time 7 minutes.

I spent the first three weeks of the pandemic watching 134 episodes of Chicago Fire, one after another. When that was over, and I needed a way to cope with the loss of my friends at Firehouse 51, I dove into books. All kinds of books. Many were wonderful. A few were, well…not. (We won’t […]

Looking for a good read?

February 7, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

The past few months brought me two great memoirs – seriously, I am in love with these books: Educated, by Tara Westover. This is an incredible story of a girl raised in a chaotic family by parents who didn’t believe in school or traditional medicine. She describes working in her father’s junkyard, watching her mother […]

You’ll Need to Escape

March 23, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

This will seem like a lighthearted post about hobbies, but it’s actually about survival. It’s only in hindsight that I recognize the unexpected things that kept me sane during the tough parts of our foster care/adoption process, and what I see now is that when things get tough, I pick up a random hobby. It’s […]

Blizzard Prep

March 13, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

We’re expecting a ridiculous snowstorm tomorrow, so all of my plans for today were put on hold while I crammed three days of getting stuff done out in the world into one. I hope to post a full blog tomorrow (in between shoveling & chasing THIS DOG as she gallops through the snow). For now I […]

Celebrating The Good Moments #1

February 28, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

EARLY Sunday morning, I saw a post from my friend Stephanie Elliot on Facebook that inspired me to ditch the whole second half of my sermon to make room to share the story of how she handled years of rejection and disappointment in her writing career. Her book comes out today :) I know Steph in real life […]

Made Well by Jenny Simmons

September 28, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

Made Well: Finding Wholeness in the Everyday Sacred Moments by Jenny Simmons This book was a highlight of my summer. It is so honest, real & encouraging. These are the words I wish I’d had five years ago, back when everything collapsed like so many endless dominoes, back when I wondered how on earth I […]

Book Report

June 2, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

In the midst of a CRAZY couple of months, I’ve read some good books. Some offered wisdom, others stirred up my imagination for how things might really work, and a few just let me escape for a few hours. Here’s a rundown in case you’re looking for something to read as we head into summer: […]

Three Books That Surprised Me

January 15, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s been a reading bonanza here this week. I took a chance on three books recommended by different sources, not sure I’d be that into them. How much fun is it when you’re wrong? These books were helpful, entertaining, and made me feel good about God, people & life. Prepare to be surprised :) First, […]

Unexpected and fantastic read

January 5, 2016.Reading time 2 minutes.

I started Midnight Jesus with a bit of trepidation – I guess I was expecting one of those justice books that suggests that everyone should be just like the author. Wow, is this not that. Author Jamie Blaine is a musician, church psychotherapist, and assistant manager of a roller rink. He describes each of these […]