discipleship is about becoming more like Jesus

The Best Back-to-School Invitation: Just for You!

I sat across from her as she shared about her coursework for the fall. Excitement flashed in her eyes as we talked syllabi, homework, assignments, and credits. This dear friend, old enough to be my mother, is entering her second year of graduate studies, and her enthusiasm is palpable. But as I walked the aisles of superstores, taking in the back-to-school displays rife …

The Beauty of Impromptu Visits with Jesus

We were sitting around their fireplace, talking about differences between American and Romanian culture. “One of the things that stands out the most,” I share, bravely, “Is that people just pop in for a visit. No phone call. No invitation. Just ‘Hey, I was thinking of you and thought I’d stop by.’” She nodded, sharing how she had experience a …

Don’t Discount the Blooms

Look at her. Stop. And look. Marvel at her velvety petals, the delicate pink blushing from core to margins. Smile at her beautiful simplicity. The cherry blossom. She is a simple bloom but one of my favorites every year, heralding the coming of summer, the promise of pleasing fruit. Had God been concerned simply with the end result, He would …