Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Sam I Am. Although it may have been years (or decades) since we’ve intentionally invested our time in reading poetry, most of us can recall these childhood rhymes with little to no effort. They’ve been stored deeply within our memories alongside Christmas carols and favorite birthday presents. Memorizing them came at…
This article was originally published on the Art House America Blog. The glare of fluorescent lights was only to be outdone by the radiance of expectant faces. Two rows of pure eagerness, flanked by shiny new leather briefcases. He leaned back against a table and surveyed the latest group of recruits. His stance was relaxed,…
During the season of Lent, we’re reminded of our humanness. From dust we were made, and to dust we will return. We attend church services marked by ash, read devotionals to focus our minds, and abstain from sugar, caffeine, or the internet to redirect appetites. The forty days serves a solemn reminder. This year, the…
I’m more likely to be grumpy in February than in any other month. The anticipation and excitement of the holidays have faded into foggy memories. It’s cold outside. I’m tired. Bleh. This time of year, even the most enjoyable aspects of life can become irritating. Most days, I’m deeply aware of the benefits of our…
While reading N.D. Wilson’s article The Dark-Tinted, Truth-Filled Reading List We Owe Our Kids, I found myself cheering. And cringing. Philosophically, I agree with what Wilson has to say. Yay. But practically, I confess that my early years of parenting were marked by the well-meaning building of bomb shelters. Cringe. Learning to parent from a…
Twas the month before Christmas And all through the house Not a creature was stirring – – unless you count the faintest sound of delicate wings fluttering through the air, down the hall, and under the door into my daughter’s room. The tiny sprite hovered over a stuffed Tooth Fairy Bear, which had gotten quite…
Our family recently read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. Having had read it years earlier, I was prepared to encounter the harsh guards, flea-infested beds, and vile smells. What I hadn’t expected during this second reading, however, was discovering the significant role that visual beauty plays in Corrie’s experience. Like bread crumbs guiding…
Only weeks ago, a long-lost painting by Vincent Van Gogh was discovered in an attic. The art world gasped, then applauded. Even those with little knowledge of the Dutch master were aware that a significant piece of culture had been excavated. A lost treasure found. Van Gogh has been dead for over 120 years. Every…
We live in a world that values productivity, results, and the bottom line. It’s the water we swim in. We dart about in search of plankton (or financial security or recognition or safety) to sustain us, while simultaneously evading danger lurking in the darkness. We’re busy. We’re focused. We don’t even know that we’re wet….
It is my great honor and joy to introduce Makoto Fujimura, an internationally acclaimed artist, speaker, writer, and founder of the International Arts Movement, to the Story Warren family. Mako is sacrificially generous with both his time and tremendous gifting. When I asked him if he’d be willing to write a brief introductory note to you, he responded…
Is there a gap between your good intentions and your actions (or lack thereof)? Do you want to live boldly out of faith, yet struggle with what it means to protect and provide for your family in the process? Are you able to see the hand of Providence in the midst of what feels like…
“I don’t think I can keep going,” I told my daughter. We were mid-chapter, and the story had taken an abrupt turn. The bright little girl, so full of hope and life and love, was minutes from receiving devastating news. She would have to trade in her pink satin birthday frock for a black dress…
