Our Stories Unleashed

The Great Comforter

I had no idea the kind of investment we were signing on for when my sister presented my oldest son, Davis, with a blanket when he was one year old. If you have seen us around, well, anywhere, you have likely seen the blanket. It has oversized moose print on one side and red and black plaid on the other. Davis, now nearing five years old, has quite literally not gone a single day without this blanket – except for the great...

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No Lists Involved in Knowing Christ

Continuing education fits people differently. Sometimes we choose electives that we pursue out of personal interest or for the sheer joy of learning. Other times other people choose the topics for our professional enrichment. Lucky for me, I enjoy learning enough that even the courses required to maintain professional certification generally do not seem dreadful. Sometimes they even surprise me with especially useful content. I recently attended a continuing education seminar that I...

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'It's Ugly but It's Yours'

We practiced on each other. Most of us had neither skill nor experience. We had volunteered to staff the face-painting booth at the children’s festival the next day and we had a lot to learn. Gretchen went first because we all thought she would be the best. Confident and relaxed, she made breezy conversation with me while she worked. I knew the butterfly she was painting on my cheek would be beautiful. When she finished, she handed me a mirror and said sweetly, “It’s...

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