The most life-giving words I heard all weekend were only two words long: "Me too." This week I shared my story at the family Camp in Arizona, and it revived my soul. I was reminded of God's relentless love and constant presence throughout my life, and those two words were what so many people said to me after my sermons, again and again. I shared about the difficult relationship I had with my father, who was addicted to drugs and alcohol and got violent when intoxicated. I shared how I found a...

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9 Can you think of anyone who embodies peace? My friend Ellyn is that kind of person. She is soft-spoken and always has a comforting smile. She listens carefully and asks questions that help you think through your situation. But she is not passive—far from it. She travels to teach under-resourced communities about mental health, and she equips leaders to help their teams flourish. What is most memorable about...

As a young girl, I loved reading, and the line I always looked forward to was: "And they lived happily ever after." But I never stopped to think about what came after the high of reciprocated love. Did Cinderella enjoy adjusting to the restrictions of palace life? Did Belle find life in an isolated castle less provincial than her hometown? I don't know. But what I do know is that eventually life slowed down. It became ordinary and predictable, for the most part. Because that is real life....