The Gospel of Mark writer is a master of word economy. Popping verbs. Sizzling accounts. Rampant pacing. In his opening chapter, he omits details of Jesus baptism and temptation, and splices two events side by side in a handful of startling sentences. With cool water...
What begins as a gift soon becomes a grind. Endless demands. Pressing deadlines. Unexpected interruptions. The pressure to perform and produce can leave us feeling weary in the marrow of our being. The joy designed to grow into sweet plumpness soon shrivels. Smiles...
Over the past few years, I’ve had well-meaning people speak life, hope, and love into me during the some of the darkest days of battling cancer. Their words were Honeycrisps dipped in 24-karat gold served on silver platters (poetic translation a la Proverbs 25:11)....
When PBS’ Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly asked to interview me about the painful journey behind Fight Back With Joy, I felt hesitant. I’d never allowed a film crew into our home, let alone a national television show, before. What questions regarding my cancer battle...
Like a child holding onto a bundle of cherry-red helium balloons, I celebrated whenever joy was in my grasp, but also recognized the speed with which it could slip away, deflate, or disappear altogether. I knew better than to outright refuse joy, yet all too often I...
