I like to think I’m pretty level-headed. I don’t rush to conclusions. I weigh my options before making decisions. And, unless it’s absolutely necessary, I generally try to avoid crying in public. But there was this one day, see… Let me give you the backstory. So, picture us 12 missionaries in England for two weeks, having our hearts stretched and faith strengthened and souls transformed. Then two days in London with joyous and restful sightseeing out the wazoo—love it. Then a

It’s amazing what God does without me even asking. He’s the best gift-giver I know. One of the bounteous gifts He showered me with during our trip was loving me with such Fatherly tenderness and care. And He made that love so abundant, so clear, through one of His countless faithful and holy priests: Fr. Julian. For months, Fr. Julian was just a name to me. Our trip director would occasionally update us that she’d talked to him, or was waiting to hear back from him, or was re

I held so many people in my suitcase heart The Weepies, "Slow Pony Home" I have a suitcase heart. The image does come from The Weepies, not me, but it’s quite apt for my life. For starters, I am about to move to a new city for the third time in three years. I have spent my many weeks this summer in Manhattan, Maryland, Florida, England, and Pittsburgh, and soon I’ll be moving to Philadelphia. In other words: I am no stranger to suitcases. I love to travel. I love seeing the w

I love kids. Dearly. Which is why my heart was just bursting that second week of our mission trip, spending hours each day with dozens of them, singing silly songs and bonding at recess and escorting little girls on never-ending trips to the bathroom and water fountain. But what’s better is that we loved and praised and learned from the Lord side by side. After years of being a babysitter, camp counselor, and swim teacher, it had been quite a while since I’d spent quality tim

“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness…God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them…God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good.” (Genesis 1:26-31) It is good that you exist. Has anyone ever told you that? My guess is that they haven’t. But whether you’ve heard it before, or are hearing it now for the first time, I wonder: do you believe it? Do you believe that you, b

July 9, 2015: God, this is Your trip. Do with it, with me, what You will. Take my little yes and selfish heart and transform them. Amen. I recently got back from two and a half weeks in England. Nineteen days with 11 others being welcomed, questioned, affirmed, rejected, fed, challenged, fathered, and completely and utterly transformed. Our mission trip was not to the physically poor in some unfamiliar land, but to the spiritually poor just across the pond. To uniform-wearing