Author: Jocelyn

  • let Love grow + practice

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    Jocelyn
    in

    Everything is coming back to life in my small city. The maple tree in our front yard is dropping its neon green seeds. Tiny fuchsia leaves are pushing their way out of dried-crispy grape vines entwined around our basketball hoop. Even my fiddle leaf fig tree in the climate-controlled corner of our dining room seems…

  • love your enemies

    love your enemies

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    Jocelyn
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    One of the most revolutionary teachings of Jesus was: Love your enemies. It is still a revolutionary thought. And, even more, in practice, loving your enemies has the potential to change everything, even your heart. Here’s Jesus, just to jog your memory: You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and…

  • the best book I read in 2018

    the best book I read in 2018

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    Jocelyn
    in

    Out of the books I read in 2018, my book of the year comes from the reading I did for my particular vocation* as a writer. But since all of us write something occasionally (for our jobs or in our relationships), and since all of us could use help discerning good writing from poor writing,…

  • the best books I read in 2018, part 1

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    Jocelyn
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    Happy New Year! And what a better way to begin the new year than talking about books, my favorite inanimate things. A side note to young parents: The age of one’s children and the amount of reading one does must have a direct relationship. I had some very lean reading years. But my kids are…

  • What’s the big deal about Advent?

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    Jocelyn
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    Actually, Advent not a big deal. I mean it depends on what you think a big deal is. If you’re comparing it to the “big deals” of Christmas gifts to buy, Christmas events to attend, Christmas traditions to uphold… It is not that kind of a big deal. It is a wonderfully quiet, secretively radiant,…

  • “Lord, help.”

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    Jocelyn
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    Almost all of my prayers right now seem to end with these two searching words: “Lord, help.” “Lord, help,” might sound desperate, but God can handle desperation. He can do something with despair. He just can’t do as much with its opposite: the buttoned-up and the already-got-it-all-figured-out. “Lord, help,” might sound simple, but God does…

  • walk through the leaves

    walk through the leaves

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    Jocelyn
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    Have you taken a walk through the leaves yet? Consider this your friendly reminder to do so. (Unless of course you’re one of my southern hemisphere, arctic, equatorial, or Montana(!) readers. Sorry.) At the risk of sounding like a positive-thinking life coach or ethereal breathing instructor, I just can’t stand the thought of any of…

  • something better than Good, Fine, Great

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    Jocelyn
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      “How was your weekend?” “Good.” “How’s work going?” “Fine.” “How’s your friend, so-and-so?” “Oh, he’s great. Yeah, just great.” Sounds familiar, right? Isn’t that pretty much the sum of 95% of our in-passing conversations? I’ll let you in on a little secret: Sometimes, in-passing, I’m flat out lying. And I know you are, too.…

  • Raising Individuals in Community: Leading/Parenting in the Tension

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    Jocelyn
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    Today I’m just trying something new: sharing a few of my thoughts (from a conversation earlier today) in an audio post! Just 9:51 for your listening enjoyment. xoxo Jocelyn

  • a mature life of faith: living between the poles

    a mature life of faith: living between the poles

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    Jocelyn
    in

    The great sociologist of religion, Max Weber, placed the religious life between the poles of charisma and routine, between the spontaneous, excited outpouring of new life in the spirit and the dogged institutionalization of truth in everyday responsibilities. The mature life of faith is lived between the poles, not around either of them. Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder, x-xi  …