My husband and I had the great opportunity to celebrate the 25th wedding anniversary of our Pastor and his wife this past weekend. The celebration was a laid-back affair with cake and coffee, some fun guessing games, and a dance. My husband and I did get at least one dance in, something we rarely ever do. The following day I was thinking about the event and realized that my husband and I were one of only a few younger couples. The majority of the attendees were older, near retirement, or retired individuals and couples, particularly the attendees that weren’t family members. The realization had me wondering where were all the…

I recently read in my daily devotional that our earthly relationships reflect the state of our relationship with God (Welch, 2021). When I first read it, I thought, ‘Sure, that makes sense.’ Then I stopped, ‘Wait, what does that mean?’ The devotional discussed the impact of shame on our relationships, particularly when we disappoint others. I thought back to times as a child when I knew my parents would be disappointed when they found out about something I did or did not do—that speeding ticket, a lost class assignment, the garbage still sitting by the back door. Sometimes, okay often, when I knew disappointment would be the reaction, I would…

I’ve done daily devotionals for years, but I need to confess something about my efforts. I go through streaks of inconsistency. Sometimes I miss a day here and there. Other times, I miss weeks at a time. Sometimes I start a study and then my interest dwindles and I tuck it away in a cupboard. Even when I am being diligent, sometimes I’m just going through the motions. I read and say, “Yes, Lord. Good to know. I should work on that.” I used to think that my lackluster performance was due to the demands of life, the ebbs and flows of energy, and a lack of diligence on my…