One of the clearest messages I absorbed growing up in North American culture was the importance of individualism: I as an individual have the power to make a difference wherever I go, in whatever capacity I choose. Our media is saturated with advertisement mantras like “The...
As October 12, 2015, quickly approaches, economic forecasts have been adjusted to include an upswing in the retail sector. This date marks the end of my yearlong clothing fast. On that date last year, I committed to abstain from all clothing purchases for a year. My husband cheered...
The topic of community has been a big discussion at The River this fall, and it reminds me of another time in my life when I was seeking community and friendship, and not finding it. Or so I thought. I was a young news reporter and newlywed living in a small town. My husband and I...
The Mediterranean culture focuses on community, family, and hospitality. The River’s recent study of Acts and the early church has leapt to life for us as a family because of our recent travels to the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey. The common theme that keeps jumping out is the...
The other day some River friends asked me to share about my history being on staff with the church. “It’s not pretty,” I warned them. When I joined The River’s staff team in the fall of 2004, my timing couldn’t have been worse. We were in a time of...
I love buffets. Whisper “all you can eat” across the room, and I’ll hear you and be ready to go. My favorite things in Las Vegas are the breakfast buffets where I can have as many pieces of bacon and crab legs as I want for $15. I love buffets because I can have a...
No one has ever mistaken me for an outdoorsy person. All the way back to my toddler days, I’ve largely had an aversion to being (or at least feeling) dirty, and the adventure of camping has pretty much no traction with me. I hold this in tension with the fact that I still...
Fitting in. Belonging. Acceptance. God placed those desires in our hearts. He created us to live in community. And yet, when you throw a bunch of broken people together, God’s ideal plans often don’t play out the way he intended. Announcements about my upcoming high...
Five years ago, I took a college course on love. Among the list of texts for the class, along with the likes of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Plato, was a reference to the song "The Greatest Love Of All" by Whitney Houston. If you're not familiar with the song, Houston sings that...
I am fortunate to live near San Jose State University, within walking distance of my place of work on campus. I don’t drive, so I rely on the bus, light rail, and the occasional ride from friends to get beyond downtown San Jose. While taking public transportation is...