Lighten Up

Lows and highs, the warfare of prayer, and the lamp that never burns out.

Four. More. Days.

Thursday’s windchill in KC got down to -30° and Sunday’s high was 55°. Well done, February. You win.

We got this.

Prayer

What things are making you feel unhinged right now? Besides the fact that it’s February, there is no shortage of troubles in the world; just read the headlines. I inadvertently created a New Year’s resolution when I subscribed to two magazines in January. I’m convinced the Lord is using them to help me pray more specifically.

I need prayer. You need prayer. We all need prayer.

The most loving and gentle admonition to be fervent in prayer that I’ve heard was spoken by Garrett Kell. Teaching on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 — “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” — he said, “This sort of desperate prayerfulness is to mark a church. I love our church … I don’t know that this marks us. I don’t say that to shame you; I don’t know that it marks me like it should. This is thoroughly convicting. Would you pray that God would make us a people who pray?” (Starting at the 32:09-minute mark)

At the time, I was relatively new to that church, and the way he spoke to the congregation made me want to be a part of the family. He acknowledged prayer is hard work, that there are a bajillion distractions, and we can be tempted to shy away from prayer in times of extended suffering. And yet believers are exhorted to pray constantly because it is how we commune with God and fight against evil.

I don’t remember many sermons from the past but this one stuck, and my heart needed to revisit its truth these past couple weeks.

On Saturday, a woman named Sue walked up to me and my friend Trina at a conference where we were volunteering. She introduced herself as she opened a notebook and hovered a pen over the page. “I want to hear all about your mission here (gesturing to our table of merchandise), but first I want to know one way I can pray for each of you.” After we shared, she let us know she would be praying for our requests for the next month.

I felt a visceral response to her genuine and gracious commitment. The very stuff I’ve been writing about here was playing out right in front of me by a would-be stranger who is actually my sister in the kingdom of God. I teared up because she had no idea and there wasn’t time to go into the whole thing, but God knows. And now you know. The Lord is good.

Lamplight

On dreary days I’ve taken to reading Scripture out loud, hoping my ears will pick up something extra my eyes could miss. Following a rabbit trail from Romans 3 to Isaiah 59, I discovered some timely encouragement for this crazy season. The bold portion grips my soul.

Speaking of sin and redemption:

They have not known the path of peace, and there is no justice in their ways. They have made their roads crooked; no one who walks on them will know peace. Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light, but there is darkness; for brightness, but we live in the night. We grope along a wall like the blind; we grope like those without eyes. We stumble at noon as though it were twilight; we are like the dead among those who are healthy. We all growl like bears and moan like doves. We hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. . .Truth is missing, and whoever turns from evil is plundered. The LORD saw that there was no justice, and He was offended. He saw that there was no man—He was amazed that there was no one interceding; so His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness supported Him. . .Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD shines over you. For look, darkness will cover the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the LORD will shine over you, and His glory will appear over you.

Isaiah 59:8-11, 15-16, 60:1-2 CSB

And suddenly I am reminded of the reality to come, when we won’t need the sun to illuminate our darkness because the lamp will be the Lamb of God (Revelation 21:23).

Come Lord Jesus.

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The Fortnightly

A bi-weekly offering of music, good food, interesting reading, and a moment that needed capturing.

TUNES

A mix of instrumental, folk, country, indie, gospel, and jazz … and somehow it just works. Probably because it’s February and it vibes with the inner chaos.

MENU

My crew ate on this Ground Turkey Pasta dish from Krolls Korner for dayyys. It’s like a way tastier grown-up and better-for-you Hamburger Helper. I used rotini noodles and ground beef because those are what I had on hand, and I omitted the mushrooms. Hearty and delicious.

READ

…not exactly. This time we’re going to look at pictures of things God made from the World Nature Photography Awards. See the 2025 Winners here. Incredible.

MOMENT

Thursday through Saturday I had the joy of representing Hope + Vine at a conference in KC for foster and adoptive parents. Hope + Vine, a non-profit organization, works with women who have aged out of foster care. They work as artisans making unique items (jewelry, clothing, candles, and more), each with an encouraging word or message serving as a reminder of God’s truth.

Hope + Vine helps connect the women to resources and provide on-going community support. This includes personal development classes with personalized coaching covering topics such as nutrition and exercise, financial literacy, career planning, mental health, and parenting classes for those with littles. They also offer trauma-informed Bible study.

So far in 2025, H+V has shown up at the Filled Gathering, hosted their 5th annual Galentine’s party, spread love here in KC, and will be in South Carolina next weekend. If you know of an upcoming event with vendors, consider recommending Hope + Vine! I would love to put you in touch with the director. ◡̈

Click the links to see my favorite pillow, sweatshirt, and earrings.

Be well, friends.