When I was young, I tended to see things in black and white. In many ways, my mind was closed for repairs. My understanding of Scripture was likewise rigid. Theological positions were mountains to conquer and debates to be won. I arrived at a place where I thought all my questions were...
My family has been responding to crisis for the past four months. In November, my husband Jesús and I rushed Sebastián, our four-month-old, to the emergency room because the radiologist was concerned that his chest x-ray showed either pneumonia or a collapsed lung...
Last week, I had the privilege of talking with a friend who recently endured the tragic deaths of loved ones. Since grief can be softened in sharing, I offered some reflections on losing my mom when I was eighteen. In expressing the tensions inherent in grief, I spoke of the gifts that...
My husband and I awoke on Saturday, mentally preparing ourselves for the funeral of a friend. Elisabeth had lost her two-year battle with a rare form of sarcoma cancer, leaving behind her husband and seven-year-old daughter. Copyright: antonioguillem / 123RF Stock Photo We...
I never really understood dog people. From “Dog is My Co-Pilot” bumper stickers to the saying often attributed to Mark Twain (“The more I know about people, the better I like my dog”), the difference between a Golden Retriever and a golden calf seemed to...
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death...
The Western Wall in Jerusalem, also known as the Wailing Wall, is considered one of the holiest sites in Judaism. If there is ever a place to get your prayers answered, this is it. People have been praying at this ancient wall since the fourth century. They often write their prayers...
My mom is amazing. I know many other people feel this way about their moms too—but really, my mom is amazing. She’s sacrificial, strong, and resilient. She’s a survivor of the Cambodian genocide. She kept our family together and alive while they trekked to Thailand...
I am a sucker for those do-it-yourself pottery shops. Spending a couple of hours painting knick-knacks is a creative outlet for me and a fun way to spend quality time with my sons. As a side effect, my house is filled with kiddie ceramics: smudgy painted dinosaurs, coffee mugs...