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Make It Make Sense

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Friends,

I’ve been thinking about a phrase we often see on social media: Make it make sense. Most of the time, it is used to poke a political opponent, suggesting that the inherent hypocrisy is downright befuddling. Sometimes it is used in a humorous way, which is refreshing. But the last few days it’s struck me that it’s actually a deep-seated, universal need.

We need things to make sense. We need to understand why we are here. Where we are going. Why we face suffering. Why people we love die. Why natural disasters keep happening. Why the world cannot keep itself out of wars.

In our heart of hearts we really do have a longing for it to make sense. When my sons were little, they went to a school that was very explicit in teaching from a biblical worldview. The students were often asked– in the midst of various kinds of lessons — about evidence of God’s created purpose, how that purpose was marred by sin, how Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection can redeem and one day — when we are in heaven — fully restore God’s design. This framework gives such meaning. Even so, answers rarely come in HD clarity. Still, I will gladly take an answer with blurred edges over no answer! And that really is the alternative. Rejection of the biblical narrative of creation, the fall, redemption and restoration leads to no answer at all.

As I’ve been more faithful in reading through the whole Bible the last couple years, some answers have come into focus for me in profound ways. I am grateful for those. Others still require faith. But there’s peace in trusting that God is loving and good and that He is sovereign. Perfect understanding is not required. A solid biblical framework, with a few areas of clarity and a growing faith is not a bad place to be. We should never stop seeking to understand. We should continue praying for wisdom, while acknowledging we won’t graduate from faith until we meet Jesus face to face.

But what about kids who are not given even the flimsiest of frameworks to sort out life’s deepest questions? How can we expect them to flourish as humans? Is it any wonder that we have a population that is increasingly apathetic? What was the expected result when we’ve taught the masses that there is no objective truth? Tell people nothing really matters and then expect them to thrive? Make it make sense!

Relatedly, earlier this year I joined the advisory board of LifeWise Academy of Palm Beach County which aims to bring Bible education to public school students. My sons were blessed with the ability to analyze all that they were learning through a biblical worldview. I have no doubt that this framework — given to them very young in age-appropriate ways — has been vital in shaping who they are today. Why wouldn’t we want public school parents to also have the option for their kids to receive a solid Bible education?

Jesus tells us that He came so that we could have life to the FULL. (John 10:10b). I don’t think the full life He is referring to is possible without Him answering some of our deepest questions, do you?

Blessings,

Kristie

P.S. The picture above is from a LifeWise Academy event in Palm Beach Gardens on Monday. Your prayers for continued momentum from this event are appreciated. If you are local and would like to learn more, I’d love to meet with you. You can also find out about LifeWise Academy in your area by visiting the website.

The Magic Words

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I don’t know much about boating and even less about sailing, but I think the phrase “smooth sailing” is probably overused. In my experience, the very idea of smooth sailing is unrealistic. Plus, I am in a position to see the state of the Atlantic Ocean on most days, and I can assure you it is very rarely smooth.

Life too is rarely smooth. There are minor hiccups and major roadblocks along almost every path. Instead, the expression “there’s always something” is more apt. Just yesterday, I was driving across the state of Florida for an event with old friends that had been on the books for months. When I stopped to fill up my car before the Alligator Alley portion of the trip, my car started acting crazy. The “check engine” light came on (with a multitude of others) and it went into some “power reduced” mode where you can do 0 to 60 in about three miles. I was determined to stick to the plan, but eventually cried Uncle and headed for home. All told, it was a 4.5 hour drive to nowhere.

Last week, our A/C wasn’t keeping up, and it’s not exactly peak heat here in Florida. We used to have a service contract with an HVAC company, but it was sold a couple years ago, and so our upkeep has slacked off to merely changing the filter. Much like taking my car in this morning, I cringed to learn what was going on. The technician was a joyful kid who could have easily passed for sixteen. He told me that he had replaced the “capacitor,” and that the A/C seemed to be working just fine now. I was kind of horrified. The capacitor? That sounds expensive, I thought. Shouldn’t he have asked me before he did that? But then he followed with the magic words: it is under warranty. It never occurred to me that I would hear those words when the unit was replaced more than five years ago and the company that installed it was sold.

These are trivial things in the grand scheme of life, but I think the lesson is an important one. A certain way may seem right to us, but the Lord directs our steps. I don’t know why exactly my plan to be in Fort Myers today was thwarted, although to be honest I have a couple ideas. But I think sometimes we benefit from the reminder to stay supple. He is the Potter. We are the clay. It’s never a good thing when we stubbornly demand our own way. Instead we are blessed when we are yielded — surrendered to His plan. That doesn’t mean we don’t make plans. It means when He redirects we don’t fight it.

Maybe the most magical words of all are “[N]ot my will, but Yours.” Luke 22:42b.

Blessings,

Kristie

Amy Boyd Was Right

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When I was growing up I went to public school, except for first grade, when I went to school with all three of my siblings at Temple Christian in Redford, Michigan. My eldest brother was a senior, my sister was a junior and my other brother was in eighth grade. I am sure I would have been more of a mascot for all their friends if I wasn’t already so dang tall for a first grader. Still, I did receive a good bit of attention — certainly no one else in first grade drove to school with a senior on the basketball team. Sometimes much younger children have a hard time fitting in with their peers, as they’ve been exposed to the humor of the family and enjoy frequent outings past the bedtimes of most classmates. However, I must have had some friends, because my teacher, Miss Amy Boyd, taped my mouth shut for talking.

I don’t think you could do that today, even in a private school. But it was a memorable experience. The first time Miss Boyd ripped off the tape it hurt like the dickens. Subsequent tapings though were not as effective because I was wise to it. The trick was to move your mouth quite a bit while it was taped. This made removal relatively painless.

But guess what amps up sleep quality like nothing else I have experienced? Taping your mouth shut. Funny that in a weird twist of fate, my first grade teacher was on to something. It’s the breathing through your nose. The nights I tape my mouth shut with surgical tape, I wake up feeling more rested in the morning. Like a lot more rested. You can consciously breathe through your nose during the day, utilizing God’s built-in air filtration system, but most of us can’t do that while sleeping. Plus, it’s pretty hard, but not impossible, to snore through your nose.

Can focusing on breath really help you feel better? I believe it can. The older I get, the more I think “little” things matter. I believe fresh air, feet in the sand, and a little sunshine are healing too. God gave us lots of little gifts to enjoy and we honor Him by doing so — by soaking them up. Being still and breathing deeply are calming. Giving thanks brings joy. Sometimes the answers really are simple. But we don’t do them by default. Walking with God — abiding in Him — requires a daily and intentional commitment.

Rankin Wilbourne puts it like this in his book Union with Christ:

“[O]ne of the most challenging aspects of the Christian life — [is] the simple repetitiveness of it. Left, right, left, right. Again and again, over and over. All the way. Every day. Like a long walk uphill.”

Christina Rossetti has a poem that opens:

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?

Yes, to the very end.

We might prefer to fly. We may wonder if there are any shortcuts. And there are some, but once you find out what they are — humiliation and suffering — you’ll probably prefer to walk.”

It may be uphill all the way, but if you have sweet believing friends to make the trek alongside, reminding each other that the “simple repetitiveness” will end in glory beyond imagination, then it will seem less steep.

As Paul wrote to the Romans, let us “be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1: 12.

Blessings,

Kristie

P.S. If you tape your mouth shut, leave a little folded tab to enable quick removal should there be a need.

Adults Only

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In October 2001, I became a mother for the first time. But even before that I spent lots of time with my niece and nephew, and before that I doted on my little cousins. For most of my life I have had the blessing of children to love on and be entertained by. Today however marks a new season. Eighteen years ago today our third and last baby boy was born. Suddenly I find myself surrounded by men — men who can vote and be drafted and go to jail.

The blessing is that my three sons, who brought so much laughter to my last couple decades, are amazing men. I mean they are sinners like everyone else, but I am proud of how thoughtful and intelligent they’ve become. They are driven and faith-filled. Plus they know that I always love to hear a funny story.

The world may relentlessly sow seeds of dissatisfaction, telling you that you can’t be happy unless you have this or that. But I believe the best thing you can do, after deciding to live for Jesus of course, is to have a family. A family is a sanctifying gift that brings joy and meaning beyond measure. Nothing compares. I’ve had the opportunity to see many facets of life: I’ve oddly had a high paying job in a prestigious law firm. I’ve rubbed elbows with people in various professions who have achieved tremendous success. I’ve taken some incredible vacations. I’ve attended some very glamorous events. But nothing compares to the joy of being a mother. The social media movement touting the supposed freedom of being childless is just another joy-robbing scheme of the devil. Sadly, many DINKs (dual income, no kids) will come to their senses when it’s too late, and they won’t be able to enjoy being DIAKs (dual income, adult kids). Yes, I made that up but I kind of like it!

That doesn’t mean that parenting is easy. Obviously it’s not. Motherhood requires sacrifice, and we are always going to make mistakes. We will wound the little people we aim to love. We will let them give up when they should persevere, and we will push them when we should call it a day. Sometimes we will choose the wrong battles. Sometimes we will fail to recognize what they need. But we will learn so much trying, and so will they. We will grow more reliant on the Lord. We will grow increasingly convinced that He is sovereign and that we cannot orchestrate any particular outcome. We will be forced to pry our stubborn fingers from their futile efforts to control, and hand our children over to God. We will do this again and again, even when they are adults.

In the midst of this, the family bond will be reinforced through the best and worst moments. Together, we will witness that God uses it all for our good and His glory.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Blessings,

Kristie

P.S. The pain of wanting a family and not having one is not a topic that I could possibly tackle, but I am praying tonight for the those who face this heartache. I also have been blessed by wonderful people in my life who invested in others as a parent-like figure. This too is a reflection of God’s design and I am grateful for that influence.

People Change

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I know people change from personal experience. Have you ever heard the quip, “There is no one I have less in common with than me posting on Facebook ten years ago!” That’s true for me, in many respects. I was such an over-poster. Another silly example is I remember wanting a Volkswagen Jetta as a college student. One of the features that I was enamored with was that the radio could stay on after you turned the car off. That’s how dorky I was. I thought that was cool. And now my Nissan Pathfinder has that feature — the music stays on until you open the door and I hate it. Blaring music is fun but I need silence to gather my thoughts before I get out of the car.

A few minutes ago I was relaxing on the beach above listening to this podcast. Talk about someone changing! Dr. Larry Sanger, was one of the founders of Wikipedia, and in the last few years he has become a Christian. The podcast, eX-skeptic, is part of the ministry that I have been involved with for many years: The C.S. Lewis Institute. When I did the Fellows Program it was just in the D.C. area, but now there are Fellows Programs in many cities (this is a little snippet from the Fellows Program in Atlanta). Plus, the website itself is full of excellent resources. I really cannot recommend it highly enough.

Another ministry that I am just getting involved with is LifeWise Academy. LifeWise aims to bring Bible education to public school students. As the podcast above states, reading the Bible is so important. Asking questions of the Bible is so important. I hope you know personally how Jesus and the Bible change people in profound, even miraculous ways.

Introducing people to Jesus is step one, encouraging true discipleship is step two, but how wonderful that so many great people around the world support missions that do both of these.

The best kind of change is possible for you and for me. As Paul said, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” 2 Corinthians 3:18a.

Praise God for transformation from one degree of glory to another!

Blessings,

Kristie

Marble, Sand and Chainsaws

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This week I took a trip with my youngest son to Chattanooga. We left in 2022 and haven’t visited in over two years. On Wednesday, we flew into Chattanooga’s delightful little airport which has added two gates since we left. We rented a car and headed for the mountain. The trek up was a reminder of how insane it is that all three of our sons learned to drive there. The margin for error is tiny — the slightest mistake could be deadly. Many of the roads are dangerously narrow, the guardrails absurdly flimsy. But dang is it charming! We drove by our old house and it looks prettier than ever. The snow from that morning stuck peacefully to the trees, and having not seen snow in years, it looked downright magical. And I was able to connect with a few friends, too. A beautiful place with wonderful people. Mostly.

It would be a lie to say that our departure from Chattanooga was 100% joyful. There were some aspects that were really hard. It’s weird to know people have it out for you. And that’s an understatement! The malice, the lies, the downright evil — it’s surprising and disconcerting. We are such easygoing people. It is jarring to know people are genuinely committed to your demise. It often felt like an overwrought drama. I mean, “C’mon. You are overreacting!” Yet unbelievably, it was real life.

Thankfully, what others may have meant for evil, God has meant for good. Despite the efforts of others to destroy us, we landed at the beach. We have had the sweetest three years as a Jackson trio. I can see how God has specifically blessed us in ways we would not have imagined. I did not know I needed this slower-paced season. But the rhythm of often seeing both the sunrise and sunset and getting a mega dose of Vitamin D on the daily has been a gift.

Yesterday I saw this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.

Do you engrave your trials in marble and record your blessings in sand? I think the temptation is to memorialize how we’ve been wronged in granite, with the font of a chainsaw. But the older I get the more I am convinced that the trials– even those that cut the deepest and are hardest to understand — need to be as erasable as my footprints in the sand. Bitterness longs for permanence. But grace is more like high tide, wiping the slate clean a minimum of twice a day.

We need to record the blessings with a sharpie, but the trials in expo dry erase. We need to understand that all of it will be used for our good and God’s glory. In fact, remembering the trials at all should be for the sole purpose of building our faith –God was faithful in that season and He does not change.

I’ve been mediating on these words from Colossians:

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (4:2). My brief visit to Chattanooga this week filled me with such thanksgiving for so many blessings of our time there. Perhaps you too could benefit from revisiting a season that was not 100% wonderful and let the ceaseless tide of grace wash over the pain. You may walk away with a renewed sense of gratitude for the blessings.

With Love,

Kristie

P.S. The picture above is from a spot I used to walk to regularly. From that vantage point I could see the boys’ school and my husband’s work. I would often pray for them as I took in this amazing view. But I can guarantee I never walked there when it was less than 30 degrees. But maybe the cold air makes the view even crisper. It was well worth the brisk walk from the rental car!

My Final Load of Laundry

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The other day I did my final load of laundry.

No, it’s not my final FINAL load. But it is the last time I will ever wash an athletic uniform. My youngest son is now officially retired from competitive sports. His basketball team lost in the first round of playoffs last week, and yesterday he turned in his uniforms. Maybe instead of going to games three-ish times a week, I’ll take up the habit of taking an evening stroll!

It is interesting as we get closer to a college decision and empty nesting, how it makes you aware of such things as a final load of laundry. By God’s grace, I think I have been pretty good at savoring the seasons. I loved cuddling my newborns. I adored the daily laughs of toddlerhood and the joy of their simplest of pleasures. Would that a wand and some bubbles could so satisfy us as adults! How gratifying to see my sons learn to read, to work hard at sports, to make friends, to navigate big changes like moving states. How wonderful to witness them ask deep questions and embrace a biblical worldview! This last season has been a sweet one with just one at home — three years of just us three.

I don’t want to be the kind of person that longs for something other than what God has for me. I don’t want to be a sad empty nester. I am sure the college drop off will be tearful, but I want to bounce back quickly and cherish that new season and whatever it brings. I can always look back with gratitude that I had the opportunity to quit my job as a lawyer and be a full-time mom. It wasn’t a hard decision and it was one I’ve never regretted. I do not know what I’ll do in this next decade, but I am excited to find out.

The world wants us to feel less than satisfied without the obtaining the latest gadget or achieving the latest look, but the Bible teaches to be content in all circumstances, to recognize that seasons come and go, but that God is faithful. Today I heard a teenage girl recite this poem.

Dust if You Must

Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better 
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and a life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world’s out there 
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come round again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.
By Rose Milligan.

I’m not very knowledgeable about poetry, but the poems I like best are like this one — sweet and simple, but also poignant. After all, we are indeed on our way to returning to dust; our bodies and all our stuff will be mere dust. Shouldn’t we be thankful for the blessings of today?

Fortunately, our souls are eternal, God’s Word is eternal, and His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136.

Blessings,

Kristie

A Church Family Litmus Test

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Hi Friends,

Do you have a good church family? Although my parents were nine years apart, they grew up in the same church. If you marry someone from your church that’s probably about the easiest way to make sure you have a strong church family. My sister did that too. But I didn’t marry someone from my church. In fact, I didn’t marry someone from my state! And in our 29 years of marriage we’ve moved states six times. Church family has not been automatic for us. Plus, we spent years in huge churches, which I sometimes regret — especially now that I know the gift of being in a small, committed church.

I don’t know what the litmus test is for when you have officially achieved a church family, but whatever it is I am confident, based on the following story, that I’d pass.

A couple of families from my church also send their kids to the homeschool hybrid where I teach. This means that I see quite a few little faces multiple times each week. However, last weekend we were in Naples through Sunday afternoon.

On Tuesday of this week, a little kindergarten boy from church was passing by me at lunch. I struck up a conversation with him.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Good,” he said.

“Gosh,” I said. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I wondered where you were on Sunday.”

It made my day. If a kindergarten boy notices when you miss, then you are probably in the right church!

But it’s not merely nice to be missed, we are called to be invested in the local body of believers. Some ministries won’t allow you to be involved unless you are an active member of a local church. Another I know went terribly off the rails when this wasn’t a prerequisite. In addition, “online church” was unfortunately normalized amidst the nonsense of 2020.

In contrast, a new friend of mine told me how an invitation to church changed his life. He went from being in a terrible place in his own marriage to leading a young-marrieds Sunday School class. Later he went to seminary and became a pastor. It all started with “Bring a Friend to Church” Sunday.

I also love the story (not sure where it originated) of the guy who invited his co-worker to church. The co-worker responded grumpily, “The church is full of hypocrites.”

“Yes,” the guy agreed, “But there’s always room for one more.”

I’m so thankful for my church, and I have had quite a few guests join me, but there’s always room for one more.

I hope you are in a church that exemplifies John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

With Love,

Kristie

Sports Books and Shame

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Hi Friends,

I watched my husband do something this morning that he’s done for almost twenty years. It is something very few men do. Actually I don’t know any that do. He records the stats for our sons for every sport they play. Each of them have a Sports Book — a binder with the print out of the faithful record keeping that Will has done. He also has it all saved digitally and before we went to the gym, Will was updating the stats from last night’s game.

Our oldest son started with soccer and flag football. Back then Will recorded the stats and then would write a narrative as though he was a sports reporter covering the game. You can imagine the utter delight of our sons to hear these write-ups read aloud as little guys. We had many seasons of baseball, rec and travel. Many seasons of basketball, rec and travel. We had middle school sports and high school sports, state championships and records, and then four years at the D1 level. By the end we had logged 18 years of swim meets that took us to California, Omaha, and all over the Southeast. But the most fun thing of all may have been the summer swim years in the crazy competitive Northern Virginia league, where all the boys were all on the same team.

Only God knows how much time and money we’ve devoted to sports, and I don’t have a single regret about any of it. We have bonded together at these events — so many fantastic memories surrounding sports. Plus younger siblings learn to make instant friends. Is there a better way to make a new pal than to roll down the hill next to the baseball field? Many simple, screen-free days to look back on and even now the traditions of just us three are a treasure. The last few years we’ve been hitting Culver’s after every basketball game. The scale is currently topping out at a shameful number, but the memories are sweet.

But that’s neither the shame nor the sports book I want to write about. What I want to write about is bringing shame back to shameful things, like sports betting. I don’t know where to draw the line. I think a March Madness pool is a blast. I think placing an occasional bet for pure entertainment’s sake is fine. But a slew of people are ruining their lives on sports betting. I feel like half the commercials I see are for pharmaceuticals (which is awful and not allowed in many countries), and the other half is for sports betting. It’s yet another addiction the culture refuses to condemn. I listened to a podcast where the author Michael Lewis said, essentially, that the guys who really do know enough to win gambling on sports, get banned. If you are a frequent gambler and in good standing with a “sports book,” then you are being played a fool. You should be embarrassed.

Lewis’s words resonated with me so much. We should be embarrassed and ashamed on a lot of levels about a lot of things. The mental acrobatics that have been popularized to avoid shame have not served us well. Let’s get back to calling things as they are.

After all we are all sinners. I fall short every single day. And so do you. The great news is that we can be washed white as snow, but not without repenting. I don’t need to repent of sports gambling, but that doesn’t mean I have a clean heart. I have other vices. Why would I pretend I don’t? Wouldn’t that devalue the sacrifice of my Savior? To appreciate what He paid, I have to acknowledge my own transgressions.

Tonight I am praying for revival in our country, that people would own their guilt and shame, that they would look to Jesus who wants to clothe them in His righteousness, achieved not through pretending bad is good, but through payment for every sinful thought, word and deed.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Cleansed from all unrighteousness? Yes, please!

Kristie

P.S. Regarding the image above, I thought I’d mix it up a bit. Will writes his fun sports tidbits on a regular computer of course, but we did visit Hemingway’s House in Key West over Christmas break and I snapped this picture.

Two Weddings and Two Funerals

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Hi Friends,

I hope you are having a wonderful start to the year. While some of you are enjoying the majesty of a fresh blanket of snow, the people in L.A. are facing unbelievable loss. Although I have never lived in California, it is one of my favorite places to visit. A drive along the Pacific Coast Highway is awe-inspiring and now so many who have had that beauty as part of their daily routine have lost everything. I know Christian organizations are already stepping in to help, and I expect churches to care for this community in need. Praise God that although the church falls short in countless ways, it shows up in times of crisis. In fact, I signed up to volunteer after the devastation in North Carolina with my denomination, but I have yet to be called about anything because so many Christians step up.

But other than witnessing the devastation and praying for those in need, how is your 2025 starting out? I am loving my new Bible reading plan: (1) starting the day with lectio divina; and (2) using Paul David Tripp’s Everyday Gospel Bible. I have written in my prayer journal everyday so far and have hit the gym every day but Sunday. I am working a couple days a week this semester, and that feels just right because with a senior I want to soak up all these “lasts.” By the end of the month, I’ll be 53 years old and will have attended my last Jackson 5 sporting event (unless there’s an unexpected playoff run that takes basketball into February). It would be fun to know how many hours I’ve spent in the last two decades joyfully cheering on my sons — such a blast! How will I fill this time in my next season of life? I have some ideas.

But as I look back over the last year, I am struck by how it feels like there’s already a shift afoot. I attended two weddings. I knew both brides and one groom from a very young age, so these were very special events. It’s so sweet to watch this next generation start their married lives. And some of my contemporaries are already grandparents. I am excited about this next season, even while I soak up the blessings of today.

In 2024 I attended a funeral of a friend just four years older than me. The grief of a life cut short sobers you. Hearing her children speak at her funeral left me feeling committed to gratitude — what love these three have for their faithful and doting mother. I am so glad I got to be there to witness it. Their words play through my mind often.

In 2024, I also missed the funeral of a friend from church. She was on the younger side too, maybe around 70. She’s actually the first woman I met at our church. She was so friendly and easy to talk to. She was an accomplished writer, and told me about a book she wrote on motherhood. In short, we were instant friends. One time when we were leaving Bible study at the same time she noticed that a neighbor was throwing out some pottery. At her suggestion, we did some serious dumpster diving, both walking away with some lovely ceramic pots. Although she had been fighting cancer for a long time, her death was quite unexpected. Somehow I missed the email announcing her funeral service and failed to attend. I was so heartbroken to learn I was just sitting at home, when her life was celebrated. I’m reading her book now and wish I wouldn’t have waited, wishing I would’ve been at her funeral to learn more about her and meet her children.

In 2025, I want to be more committed to rejoicing with those who rejoice, and mourning with those who mourn (Romans 12:15). Let’s all go to the weddings. Let’s all attend the funerals. Sending cards is nice, but let’s make an effort to be present at important events. Maybe the command isn’t just one of support — sharing joys and burdens — maybe fulfilling the command changes us. Maybe it makes us more fully human. In fact, rejoicing with those who rejoice, and mourning with those who mourn makes us more Christlike.

Blessings on your 2025!

Kristie

P.S. I am not following the linked article on lectio divina exactly, but it gives you a general idea. I am using the same few verses for a whole week, meditating and praying over them each morning, using them to guide what I am recording in my prayer journal. On Monday, I’ll be on Ephesians 1:3-10 if you want to join me.