Last Wednesday, I bid farewell to a job I loved. It was my dream job, the job that combined my passion for words with my deepest held beliefs, a job that rattled and refined that faith, a job where I encountered the Divine in the voices of others. It was more than a job, itContinue reading “Time to fly”
Where I’ve prayed (an incomplete list)
At the foot of Hart Lake, wisps of breath swirling in the alpine air, marveling at the breadth of sky and pines and Cascade Mountains, feeling so small, feeling the expansiveness of God’s presence; In the Chapel of the Resurrection for 10 p.m. worship, surrounded by classmates, basking in the glow of candlelight, singing “JesusContinue reading “Where I’ve prayed (an incomplete list)”
Adam Richard: A redemptive birth story
I fastened my hospital-issued smock and hefted my achy body onto the bed. Machines hummed. The smell of disinfectant permeated the air. A Christmas morning kind of excitement buzzed inside of me. Today was the day! After 39 weeks, we were going to meet our second child. A fierce kick jabbed my belly. I lookedContinue reading “Adam Richard: A redemptive birth story”
Newborn standard time
These are the days of
his small head nestled
against my chest…
A prayer for my son after his fifth birthday
Nothing about your birth had gone according to plan — and I love a good plan — resulting in an emergency c-section and a stay in the NICU. Honestly, I thought I’d failed you. Yet five years later, I can see the strength in both of us.
Scenes from a pregnancy
Countless times throughout this pregnancy I’ve been asked “How are you feeling?” Most of the time I’ve responded with “Fine,” peppered with a physical shift: “Fine, but I’m not sleeping.” “Fine! The baby’s really kicking.” “Fine, but my back aches.”
“How does it feel to be pregnant?” is an entirely different question.
Because one day . . .
. . . he won’t scatter Hot Wheels like breadcrumbs near the baseboards, in the bookshelves or across the coffee table.
36 truths for my 36th year
The truth is, I’ve always ached to love and be loved, but I wrestle with loving myself. Hearing my own melody helped me see my innate holiness — made in God’s image, blessed and broken, sinner and saint.
The gifts of waiting (newsletter sneak peek)
Here we are in Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas. It’s a season when Christians anticipate celebrating Jesus’ birth and the promise he will come again. It’s also a time when people of varied beliefs practice waiting. But what does it mean to wait?
Holiday permission slips
You have permission…
To find hope in the holidays. To relish each merry moment you can muster — the sacredness of lit candles, the comfort of reunions with friends and relatives, the bliss of giving and receiving.
Erin Strybis 