It is early, and the air is frigid as I push back our heavy comforter, shivering as I slip from bed. I pluck my warmest socks from our bottom left drawer, memory serving me well in the dark. I have awakened with the words swirling fast and furious, so I text remembrances to myself, as… Continue reading This Waning Moon| The Palest Ink
Dear Youth Minister, My husband is also my pastor. Most Sundays, after he preaches, we walk to the back to greet people, and I whisper: great message. Then we turn to converse with the congregation…| The Palest Ink
I remember a few childhood afternoons spent roller-skating straight through Raquelle’s lobster-red kitchen, her Italian mother enormously great with child, baby number nine. This sainted woman cradled the phone, laughing as we dipped beneath the mustard cord and sailed beneath her tattered oven mitts, hands that cradled an enormous tray of bubbling lasagna. When we… Continue reading Redeeming the Roast| The Palest Ink
Mothers of missionaries know the tale well. Once upon a time, our children were babies: safely swaddled, a bundle of joy in our arms. Now they are missionaries: globe-trotting, gospel-sharing adult…| The Palest Ink
I am delighted to have finally been able to record this conversation with our daughter, Lauren, the mother of our first (and most adorable) granddaughter. Lauren’s Etsy shop Sign up for Lauren’s newsletter My personal favorite: Elisabeth Elliot Print| The Palest Ink
There is an unexpected tenderness, a sober joy, soft, unshakeable, even as my flesh faints and my bones seem crushed by sorrow. I stand quietly and watch the world burn —set on fire, torched by the prince of darkness. Christians are assassinated and martyrs continue to perish worldwide, as they have throughout the ages. Men… Continue reading The Light of the World| The Palest Ink
Photo by Tina Nord on Pexels.com I stood wounded by rapid-fire words.| The Palest Ink
I can imagine you now: sharpening pencils, organizing folders, surrounded by paper, pencils, and erasers. You have packed away bathing suits and beach towels–farewell, summer–as you soar into September, swooning over the possibilities on the cusp of this school year. Cheered by the thought of beginning again, you smile, your heart singing as you blow… Continue reading Dear Homeschooling Mom| The Palest Ink
Upstairs, I have an old photograph, in which I am cradling our newborn. We are studying each other, our profiles etched, two upturned noses kept frozen in time, mother and son. My face achingly you…| The Palest Ink
Stretching dunes, untamed waters, sunrises from the deck. Magnificent. With a chipped, heavy coffee mug in hand, and hair tousled by the Atlantic’s salty breeze, I felt dwarfed by the beauty of God’s creation. Our few vacation days were glorious and hard-won: saving money, wrangling schedules, working ahead to beat deadlines. We congregated in a… Continue reading Drowning| The Palest Ink
My husband and I recently celebrated our 30th in a year brimming with change. A few weeks after our anniversary, we arranged for a few days away at the prettiest beach, with soft, briny sands stret…| The Palest Ink
Write the Truth, Beautifully ™A Class for Christians Who Long to Write What is Good, True, & Beautiful Tuesday Dates: September 9, September 16, September 23 Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm EST via Zo…| The Palest Ink
There we were, a small group of women seated at tables that formed a rectangle. It was prayer request time, a lengthy slew of health concerns. As the teacher readied to pray, a woman spoke up, aski…| The Palest Ink
