Overcoming Leadership Resistance

Overcoming Leadership Resistance

When the going gets tough . . . most leaders freak out. We don’t want to think it is so. We love the idea that if we are called on to call the shots, we will rise to the occasion and lead our teams through any challenge with creativity, poise, and patience. But...
Unanswered Prayers: Finding Faith Amid Silence

Unanswered Prayers: Finding Faith Amid Silence

As a little girl, I would stand in socked feet on top of my dad’s shoes while he tried to teach me how to dance on the yellowed kitchen linoleum. “When it’s your wedding, you dance with your dad first,” he said sternly, “only when I let the groom cut in can he take...
Book of Common Prayer

Book of Common Prayer

How the Book of Common Prayer Shapes Our Faith Nearly fifteen years ago, I was at a weekend retreat off the coast of Washington—there were wood cabins, homey food, occasional views of the snow-capped Olympic mountains. Good friends were the speakers, and I went...
Collect Prayers Journey

Collect Prayers Journey

I began writing short prayers, or what is simply called a “collect,” on March 15, 2020—the day that our country shut down on account of the coronavirus. At first, it was simply a way for me to cope with my own fears over an uncertain future. I’d written such prayers...
Resurrection and Life

Resurrection and Life

Hope deferred makes us sick, doesn’t it? Our hearts long to be fulfilled. It’s a sign of being alive. And during this moment of being alive, there’s nothing we can do that doesn’t converge on the life of Christ. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold...
Finding Belonging in Church

Finding Belonging in Church

I could see her out the corner of my eye. A woman from church who I did not know well lingered just off stage, clutching a notebook to her chest. She was clearly waiting for me, but I paused to give myself a moment. Tiredness had settled deep in my body, and my...
Enduring Leadership Lessons

Enduring Leadership Lessons

No other crucible does more to develop personal wisdom than the crucible of enduring challenge. Although we wish our life and our leadership responsibilities were consistent from day to day, they rarely are. Though every leader faces enormous challenges that require a...
Habit of Discipleship

Habit of Discipleship

How to Start the Habit of Discipleship In Your Family What’s a small, regular habit that has a surprisingly large impact on your life? Maybe you drink more water during the day when you fill a big bottle of water in the morning, or breathing a prayer right after...
Effective Pastoral Care

Effective Pastoral Care

“Precision Pastoring: Nourishing the Caregiver’s Soul” “Are we serving you well?” The unexpected question from two pastors caught me off guard, prompting a moment of reflection. As pastors of a large Nashville church, their humility in...