the remind{h}er podcast

When life feels wobbly, repetition can be a steadying practice. Repeating something helps us recall it. We absorb what we repeat. In many ways, repetition influences who we become. And for me, that m…

As someone who loves to write, I believe grammar is important on a page. But lately I’ve been considering how grammar might also have something important to say as it translates into our actual lives…

Each episode, I share that we are called to remember. But that call is an invitation, not a prerequisite; and our inevitable spiritual forgetfulness will never be a dealbreaker. Not with God. As John…

What are you celebrating?

Certainly it depends on the season, the chapter, the circumstance—there are days, weeks, months, even years when answering a question like that feels impossible. And that’s …

Whether it’s flipping a house or meeting a goal or living a life, it seems we do our best to avoid being “in-process.” We prefer a quick fix, a finished product, a smooth arrival. We want life and ci…

Sometimes, familiarity can be grounding. Steadying. Sometimes it’s exactly what we need. That is true. And yet, in my experience, a life can become “overly-familiar,” feeling stale, monotonous, munda…

Often, I prefer a faith I can figure out. A God I can both know and fully understand. A theology that is set in stone, fitting nice and neat in a sturdy box, where, as author Mike Cosper puts it, “wh…

In her book, The Power of Writing it Down, Allison Fallon writes,

“What do you want to remember about your life? What we write down is what we remember. It’s like a time capsule in a way, a lifeline…

When it comes to hope, I'd prefer if someone would hand me a metaphorical bouquet of hope-in-full-bloom, something I can point to and easily say, “There’s the beauty. There’s the color. There’s the l…

If we’re being honest, we all know the sharp sting of judgement in some way, shape, or form. The way it makes us feel small. And ridiculed. And misunderstood. And yet at the same time, we’ve all cast…

"If your faith were a color, what would it be?"

When it comes to our faith, sometimes, we forget the color. The significance of a faith that is abundant and intricate and vibrant and vast and rich an…

Today, as we continue to settle into the season of Lent, I want to share a prayer based on Psalm 51.

Psalm 51 is the psalm with the familiar line, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a stead…

Fasting is a spiritual practice that can often feel intimidating, unfamiliar, and even mysterious. But it can be practiced in many different forms, and today, as we approach the season of Lent, we're…

When it comes to getting things done, I am a list-maker. And part of why I find list-making so helpful is that makes it easier for me to prioritize. Easier to determine how I can best give of my time…

Hurry. Hustle. Don’t miss out. Don’t fall behind. Get ahead. Be efficient. Stay busy. Keep up.

Whether we realize or not, this is familiar messaging that’s actually forming us. And it creates an exha…

Well, it’s that time of year again. The beginning of the year, actually. And it seems that every time the beginning comes around, we enter in with the best of intentions, maybe some newfound resoluti…

Today I’m offering a simple reading of and reflection on what might be a familiar passage this time of year. As we make our way through these last couple weeks of 2022, I hope it serves you well. Lis…

Desire can be a tricky thing. But I'm learning that desire might be worth paying attention to.

When we choose to lean into our desires and acknowledge what it is we want, we are better enabled to bec…

If you are listening in real-time, tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day 2022. And today, I’d like to offer a simple reading of a psalm of thanksgiving, Psalm 107, followed by a few questions for reflection. …

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always need the same things. My needs often shift and change. As we approach Thanksgiving, I’m learning to notice God’s provision, knowing that God will meet me wh…