Three years ago, I interviewed Michael Phillips about his lifework of reintroducing George MacDonald's writings to the world. Naturally, thinking and writing on the topic made me homesick for the familiar stories, and so I began to reread. While curled up in my Jerusalem home, vicariously roaming ... read more
Reviving the Work of George MacDonald
Michael Phillips is the author of at least 60 novels and 20 non-fiction books. A California native, he and his wife Judy raised three sons. They also ran their own press and bookshop, motivated largely by a desire to bring the works of the Scottish Victorian writer George MacDonald, the "Father of ... read more
when you don’t feel like singleness is a gift
At several key points in my life, a book has come along just when I needed it. In the last few months, there have been two: my friend Natasha Metzler's Emma and the Reasons, and Kingdom Single by Tony Evans. Some books tell you that singleness is valuable, a gift even: these books helped me to feel ... read more
Novel Encouragement for Singles
Unexpected life-detours can be hard -- whether you thought you'd have ten children by now and you're not sure how to do this singleness thing, or you planned to be single for awhile and now you've lost your vision.As a thirty-something woman who is still waiting for marriage, what has made an ... read more
Paralyzed by Shyness, Freed by Jesus
This would work a whole lot better if you were sitting in my living room. As I pester you with tea choices (black, green, or herbal?), heat the teakettle, and pour you a fragrant cupful in a brightly flowered Polish mug, I’d be bubbly and a little too talkative, with lots of hand motions and tales ... read more
Why I See Hymns as a Time Capsule of Trust
The other day, my brother stopped plowing snow to tell me that the setting sun had just dropped into line with the ice-clad treetops. Outside our kitchen window, branches sparkled with diamonds against a melba and dove-grey sky. I grabbed my camera, while my brother shucked his enormous boots for me ... read more
Real-Life Love Stories to Give You Hope While You Wait
Why do I love reading love stories that really happened? Is it the part of me that enjoys real butter, homemade bread, chicken soup from scratch . . . or the fact that a little suffering creates a great big desire for authenticity? Most of all, I think it’s the fact that true stories show me another ... read more
To Joey, With Love: A Movie Review
About four years ago, Joey and Rory Feek, a Country and bluegrass duo – and real-life husband and wife – were set to film a music video at their farmhouse in Tennessee. But last minute, someone made an unexpected decision: Rory was not going to sing in the video.The song they were filming was a ... read more
How to Find Your Vocation
Your vocation: what is it?It isn’t exactly the same as your career or job, says Jeff Goins, though it may include them. Its scope is life-long: it is the theme you will return to again and again, however many times your specific job description might change. The fact that I've gone from teaching ... read more
How to Find the Fountain of Youth
When I was an awkward, anxious twenty-something who felt hopelessly crippled by shyness, it dawned on me one day that even a stick-in-the-mud might actually be transformed into the kind of person who joyfully welcomes new people, new adventures, and new growth in my heart.It might be possible to ... read more
