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I’m a happy ending kind of person. My favorite stories end with everyone cheering, quite possibly a dance number, and every bit of the plot tied up in a pretty little bow. Everything turns out right, everyone gets what they wanted (except the villain, of course), and everyone is completely happy. We defeat the evil, all the colors turn brighter, and the boy and girl protagonists smile as they...
“Where shall the world be found, where will the word resound? Not here, there is not enough silence.” — T.S. Eliot Shortly after my son was born, we began putting him down for bed at night with a Kindle app that produces white noise. Mixes can be customized to include sounds of rain, thunder, lightning, and the ocean, but the final effect is uninterrupted hissing that can be likened...
Have you ever felt useless? I have. Over the past few months, I’ve struggled deeply with this feeling of uselessness. The question keeps coming up: What do you do in quiet seasons? I’ve had several quiet seasons in my life recently: in-between times when I felt I was at a crossroad. I was never bored, but I wasn’t running from one thrillingly important thing to another, either. And...
Nine times out of ten when our friend suffers, we ache to our core. In response to that burden, we search for ways to alleviate their pain, to give them comfort. I faced that kind of scenario recently. My friend, Eliza Downer—a worn-out warrior battling for joy and strength amid the weariness that comes from chronic illness—was about to restart “one hundred days of thankfulness” and...
Recently I’ve been learning the art of communication. In other words, I’ve been learning how shallow our words and actions can be. For instance, many Christians say, “I’m praying for you” when the reality is: they’re not. “I’m praying for you” can be synonymous with “I have better things to do” or, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but…” Such a beautiful thing—prayer and the...
Dear Social Media, We have had a complicated relationship for many years. Now that I am in college, I need to reevaluate my obsession with you. You have shown me many things, both good and bad, that I never would have seen on my own. You have familiarized me with many unique lifestyles and have enabled me to travel the world without leaving my bed. You have given me wonderful acquaintances. You...
Have you ever found yourself in a place where you don’t fit in? Being a Christian is like that. There are times when we can’t find ourselves being comfortable among our non-Christian friends, and don’t really fit into the ‘Christian crowd’ either. Being faithful to God can seem like one of life’s hardest challenges. Living in a way that pleases God is not easy. In fact, living a sin-free life is...
It’s an unfortunate reality that our generation struggles intensely with anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 32% of teens 13-18 years old struggle with an anxiety disorder. There’s a lot we could (and should) go into here, but it makes you wonder what’s causing this and what can teens do to reverse the trend? What do happy teens do? I...
“I should be there right now.” The thought crosses my mind for a moment before I refocus my attention on the task at hand: working on the rough draft of a scholarship application. I reject the rising tide of self-pity and disappointment that threatens to wash over my will. I will determine to do my best where I am. An Unexpected Detour During my first year of college, I invested my efforts...
I’ll never forget the first time a guy asked me out. Well, at least I think he was asking me out. One mid-summer afternoon, he walked into the office where I worked. After a few minutes of small-talk, plus scheduling an appointment, he leaned against the door, quirked a brow, and remarked, “Man, that Chinese food across the street smells good.” I inhaled. I couldn’t smell a thing. “Would you like...
rebelling against low expectations
