Finding the Creator in Me
Last spring I decided to write a song. It started with a literature class assignment: read five to six poems…
Create
‘Only Small Things Are Good’: An Interview with Author Micah Harris
What makes an endeavor meaningful? How can we make a difference in this world—or in the lives of those around…
The Flash Mob as a Portrait of Grace
Think about the gifts of Grace this Christmas. Although I have a strong preference for books over all kinds of screens, I have…
A Walk, A Poem, and an Autumn Day’s Wonder
Take some time to fully appreciate the created beauty of autumn Here in Wisconsin, fall has arrived, and it couldn’t…
What Makes a Gift or Possession Valuable?
Giving the right gift is not always the easy option, but it is always worth it. Last May I faced…
How to End Well
It’s very rare that the end of a good book is the end of its story. One cold January day…
Postcards in a Postmodern World
With postcards we can have brief but meaningful interactions with our friends from far away In an age where instant…
Stop Saving the World (A Defense of Small Stories)
Too many stories about saving the world can cause us to lose sight of the individual people and communities that…
Truth Will Save the World
Those who claim that self-expression is the chief aim of music are selling it short. The village of Thalem, Germany,…
Why Bother to Write? Part IV
“Write for your friends…and for people you might want to be friends with.” Ashes from the flames / The truth…
What a Painting Showed Me About Memory
Can I impart visceral memory through words? Can any combination of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs communicate how the breeze…
Creating Cozy Spaces
There’s no place like a cozy home—a breezy window, the dancing flame of a candle, a comfy couch, a soft…
Reviving Romance in Christian Art
How should the Christian contribute to romantic art? I feel a need to ask my readers to bear with me a…
Fatherhood, Priorities, and the Habit of Writing
How can you maintain the habit of writing in the midst of the duties and priorities of life? A recent essay…
Staying Present Together: Interview with Lowland Hum
How to find strength in community even when you are wearing thin. Vulnerability is becoming something of a buzzword nowadays…
Sharing Beauty and Celebrating Excellence in the Age of Instagram
The story behind one of Instagram’s hidden gems: Hopeshare The first meeting for the Instagram project now known as “Hopeshare”…
Can I Be Creative and Married?
A look into how you can be happily married and still be creative. That morning I had read John Kenney’s depressing…
This Author Is Finishing a Flannery O’Connor Novel
Flannery O’Connor started a novel. Jessica Wilson is finishing it.
Music Is Breathing: An Interview with Composer Ola Gjeilo
Renowned composer Ola Gjeilo expounds on his creativity, from his inspiring improvisation to his carefully selected lyrics. Ola Gjeilo is…
A Long Winter and the Discipline of Hope
How can hope guide us through winter? Here in Wisconsin, the winter is long. We get our first snow around…