Smoke Between the Trees
On the 28th of February, an unusually warm day for that time of year, I drove past countless rows of pines in search for my old camping spot. Some years ago, I had decided that to understand my path forward, I must venture out into the wilderness and get alone. So, I began taking solo camping trips each year to clear my head. I would read a book, walk through nature, sit by the fire, think, and even pray. In the morning I would sit by a lake or someplace peaceful and write out everything I had accomplished in [...]
The Bench
Taking an evening stroll with my wife is one of my favorite past-times. It’s a moment to connect as a couple, to talk about our day, to talk about our dreams and get out of our concrete world and into nature. When we walk, we pass through neighborhoods lined with trees, shaded woods, fields with tall grass, and little parks equipped with children at play. I notice that all the parks come with benches. The children run and play, but the parents or grandparents sit on the benches, watching their kids. The bench is a place of rest and [...]
The Incredible Screwdriver
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. – Isaiah 55:8-9 “Use the right tool for the job,” my dad used to say, and I came to believe this with a passion. That changed years ago when my new bride, Rose, shook the foundation of my tool belief system to its core. We had just moved into our first house, a modest three-bedroom starter home still smelling of fresh paint, when she asked, “Jake. Will you help me hang some pictures?” “Of course,” I replied and went to the garage to [...]
Clover Flowers and Roses
“What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me?” - Psalms 116:12 As humans we require the love, relationship, and touch of other humans. We intuitively understand this even as children. I remember gifting my mother on many occasions with a bouquet of hand-picked clover flowers (adding the odd buttercup for a splash of color), because I wanted to show her that I loved her. I would present the bouquet, held together with a knotted stem, hoping she would like the flowers. Would she find my gift pleasing? She would make a show of placing [...]
Between Those Pages
My Bible is literally falling apart. I have repaired the edges with washi tape and stuffed the pages back in place in the back. But this Bible is a comfort to me. I can look through the chapters and see a date beside a verse that is underlined and the notes that remind me what God was walking us through at the time or a lesson that we were learning. I can see the pain But, I need a new cover or to replace my Bible. Over the past three decades, my history with God is tucked in between [...]
I Am the Prodigal Son’s Brother
Waiting is hard. We have all experienced waiting at some point in life. Waiting for a spouse. Waiting for a child. Waiting for that promotion at work. And, whenever we are waiting, the process can seem to last forever. It is not easy to wait, especially when those around us receive the very things for which we long. You’ve been diligently working towards that promotion at work and, instead, it’s given to another colleague. You’ve been praying every day for years for a child but have to watch while yet another friend announces her pregnancy. It’s confusing. It’s disappointing. [...]
Adaptability in 2020
Hi. My name is Bethany and I’m teaching during a global pandemic. This is by far my hardest year of teaching. This is lucky year number seven. And seven is the number of completion so my job is done, right? (I’m kidding, of course. Teaching has been my passion since I was a child. I can’t abandon it quite yet.) Anywho, I’m a part of the Young Adult Ministry (YAMs) here at WBC. The other night Grace (you might know her... she’s got bright blonde hair and is obsessed with animals) asked the group a question. She said, “If you [...]