I see youWalking down a tightrope,Gun to back.You are smilingbutI seethe beads of sweatthat gather at your collarAs the crowd roars. I’m watching youWatch your self worthrise and fallthrough another’s eyes.Eyes that confuseand misconstrue.Eyes that can’tSee. Look at me and answer honest:Aren’t you tired?Aren’t you anxious?Aren’t you wishing they would just let up?I bet if … More A Failure to See
There are certain times, certain hours, certain days and certain months, I’d like to bypass if I could. For example: Valentine’s Day. Some baby showers. New Year’s Eve, when the clock strikes midnight. And the faint – yet burning – flickers of envy, sorrow, and shame that flood my heart when another friend texts me … More I’d like to think
John, did you know?Sitting cross-leggedknees brushingwith deity,that this meal would be the last? That the hands,breaking bread andgiving thanks,would tomorrow bleed?That the face,raining grace andbeaming pride,would tomorrow hide?Cloakedin the shame thatrightfully belonged to us. Peter, did you know?That by the third crowyou would disownthe one who called youand made you his own? The light of … More A Poem for Passover
The joy that springs from hard places cannotbe shaken.Although, it canbe stirred—tears melting—as hardened hearts unthaw,seeing gracious the hand which withholds.(or trusts it to be) The work of reconciling the what-ifs with the have-nots;The work of sowing unseen seedsin the desert.Low yieldsyear after year.Yet hoping and prayinga welcome rain will one day comewaking seeds from … More Springtime Rain
She shifts in her chairunsure and unawareof what the future holdsor who might hold her. Because a road diverged into the woodand she certainly took the oneless travelled. Her feet tread a steeper path,but even stillshe remains steadfast.She sets her gazeon God’s faceand trains her mindto findthe good, perfect, lovely, and kind. Her life is … More Poem for a Friend
WWJD bracelets were, I think, mildly “cool” back in the day, long before I was a Christian and long before I really understood how it was that Jesus acted which made the rest of the world so eager to emulate him. “What would Jesus do?” It’s a worthwhile question we, as Christians, ask ourselves often. … More WWJD: On Emulating & Becoming
I have two friends. Their names are Grace and Hope. They are sisters. Grace is a sweet soul. She swirls and dances, always offers the last bite, always gives the benefit of the doubt. She’s far too trusting. And so, she always ends up in places she shouldn’t be, making acquaintances with people she shouldn’t … More Sister Virtues
In grade school, you are are taught that the world is composed of formulas. E=mc2 y=mx+b c2=a2+b2 You’re guaranteed to get the answer, they say, if only you plug in the right values. In adolescence, you are taught that formulas ensure certain outcomes. Kindness given = kindness received Safety = prudence + precaution Success = … More Equations
It’s the woven ivory cardigan in my closet. The one with loose threads and pockets that I’ve worn to work and weddings, alike. It’s the Mrs. T’s frozen pierogies in my freezer that I can pull out in a pinch, sear in butter, and eat with shredded cheese. It’s the stack of hand-written letters from … More Keep Finding Jesus: How Character Quells Anxiety
I am taut. Taught. To hold everything in balance. The reality with hope, the sorrow with gladness. But some days, I’m not so sure. And I feel like a bridge suspended between strong winds, Wondering: If I drop one end, who falls? I have grown. Known. A heart that beats dichotomously Just like the world … More Tensions
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