
Tissues
More than a decade ago I was involved in a prison ministry called Kairos. A team of us would prepare for months to go into Lakin Correctional Center for three and half days for an intense spiritual weekend which included singing, talks, good food, and thousands of dozens of cookies. Our motto was “Listen, Listen, Love, Love” and our main purpose was to share love by allowing each woman to be truly heard. One of the most important aspects of the weekend was time with our “ta

Sacred Rest
Yesterday I spent most of the day working on a tax issue for my business. I had tried for a week to resolve this issue over the phone and through email and finally decided to drive down to the tax office. I showed up unannounced at the wrong building. They kindly sent me to another one. I walked all over downtown Charleston in the stifling humidity looking for the office to no avail. When I finally asked someone to help me find it, they pointed to a building right in fro

Completely Alive
Many years ago I bought a couple versions of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook. I learned how to stop a runaway camel, how to escape from quicksand, and how to deliver a baby in a taxicab. I read that you should fight during a shark attack, play dead if you encounter a bear, and make yourself look big for a mountain lion. And I wondered how in the world I was supposed to remember all of this in my time of crisis? Instead of feeling empowered with all of this helpfu

The Silver Lining
How can you be utterly heartbroken and overwhelmingly full of gratitude at the same time? It seems impossible. But this is how so many West Virginians from my home state feel right now after the recent devastating flooding. Many people lost their homes, everything they owned, and not just replaceable items like refrigerators and couches, but handmade Christmas ornaments their children made in second grade and scrapbooks full of memories and their grandmother’s wedding band