A few hundred writers had gathered to pursue their calling on a smoky North Carolina mountaintop. Sunned by worship and swathed in the dewy atmosphere of prayer, an iris raised her amethyst head near the summit stairway.She wore her crown of petals as a hard-won accomplishment. The iris began her journey…
A week ago, ashes marked the foreheads of countless believers worldwide. Even those of us who didn't participate in the traditions of Ash Wednesday have rolled our clocks forward to spring into a new season. Lente, the Middle English word for springtime, birthed the name of our current phase in…
Libraries and bookstores list quite a different set of books in the inspirational category. On a stroll through the aisles of any such purveyor of literature, one may find theology textbooks, Bibles, studies, and devotionals. I treasure the spiritual value these publications provide. For me, such books exceed the term inspirational.…
Her leaves drooped, threatening to crash against the plant stand. Just the day before, her stalks had held themselves together. But the weeks of my neglect took their toll and my favorite houseplant could no longer hold her beautiful head high. I carried her from the room with remorse over…