America is Still Beautiful
We’ve had a lot of ugly days lately, America. This Fourth of July, let’s pause to consider how beautiful we still are!
An Honest Relationship with the Word of God
My dear friend Debra is a voracious reader and one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. She once told me that when she starts a book, she has to […]
What we need right now is corporate lament.
The songs of Bono and David and Negro Spirituals are what our grieving hearts need.
Saying Goodbye to Cheese and Other Things
“We’re going to teach them how to say goodbye, say goodbye…” George Washington sings to Alexander Hamilton. It’s a beautiful song; I love the way it depicts Washington’s heart for […]
The Day After Easter
Here we are, the day after the highest holy day of them all. I hope yours was wonderful.
Coming down from Easter is not unlike coming down from other adrenaline-charged days full of expectation and emotion – whether magical or tragic days. The day after you get home from youth camp. The day after graduation. The day after you have a baby, the day after you turn 40, the day after surgery, the day after you get the call, the day after the funeral…
Our lives are fully punctuated by Days After.
Learning how to fold big days into normal life is a huge part of spiritual maturity. A few thoughts here on how to do that, taking Jesus’ lead…
FAQs of Spiritual Direction with Rachel
Where and when would we meet?We’d meet monthly (or at an interval of your choosing) for 1 hour, via Zoom or at my home in Franklin. What is a session […]
Life in the Potter’s Hands
If you were a piece of pottery, what would you be? Here’s a 10-minute imaginative exercise (devotional, spiritual reading, meditation, whatever you’d like to call it) to help you connect […]
How Women Won the Right to Vote 100 Years Ago Today: A Tennessee Story
One century ago this week, the 19th amendment was ratified in Nashville, Tennessee, securing American women the right to vote. Do you know the story? It’s time to celebrate with […]
Getting it Wrong
Last night, I attended a community discussion on racial issues prompted by the murder of George Floyd and last weekend’s demonstrations. The crowd was large in size and in whiteness. […]
Going with the Flow {Lessons on Quarantine from the Mississippi River}
Jay gave me this print for Christmas, and just yesterday I framed it. It’s the history of the routes of the Mississippi River along the banks of Tennessee and Mississippi. […]
On Waiting Until Things Get Back to Normal
“Waiting until this is over and we can get back to normal.” I’ve been using this kind of language a lot these days – how about you? It’s slowly occurring […]
Finding Value in Times of Pressure
It’s hard to describe exactly what’s going on these days. Have you been able to put into words the way the shelter-in-place is affecting you? All these terrible news reports […]
Finding Peace in Uncertain Times
In times of difficulty and uncertainty, when circumstances are anywhere from wobbly to downright threatening, I’ve found God’s peace by doing one of two things… Going higher, or going lower. […]
On Seeking {and finding} a New Meaning to Your Name
What’s the meaning of your name? Do you resonate with that meaning? The name Rachel means “little lamb.” A recent epiphany changed the way I relate to this Biblical name, and the way I see myself.
A Peculiar Answer to a Kitchen-Sink Prayer
They talk about “in the trenches” of motherhood… well, ten years ago I was dug in deep when God got down in the dirt and met me by surprise. My […]