Roald Dahl is known for his whimsical and creative stories, but none seem to have captured our imagination like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It has inspired two major motion pictures, a musical on Broadway, and, most recently, a spinoff prequel called Wonka. There is something so appealing about an exclusive invitation—there are only five […]
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At the age of 18, I had a solid five-year plan. I was going to graduate from a Christian college with a degree to teach deaf/hard-of-hearing students, and I was going to do it within an undergraduate program. Never mind that there was only one college in all my searching that met my criteria, and […]
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I sat on the small bench across the classroom while a second grader patted my arm. “It’s okay, Mrs. B.” Emma said. The concern in her eyes only made me cry harder. I was student teaching in a general education setting that semester, and I loved those second graders from West Godwin Elementary. There were […]
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On Easter Sunday, we put on our fancy clothes and listened to special music, and with much fanfare, we celebrated that Jesus rose again. This year, as part of my job as Director of Children and Family Ministry, I took the stage to give a three-minute kids’ sermon. I used a pair of bright yellow-tinted […]
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I’m not saying that my decision to put on makeup earlier that morning caused the car accident on the I-5, but as I inched along in traffic, the two events grew more connected. I was on my way to a large speaking event at a church in Orange County. When they’d reached out a few […]
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It was that awkward time during a gathering, when the food is ready and waiting on the buffet table but no one has started eating yet. The adults were clumped together near a table of crafts set out for the children. The kids were running around with their makeshift foam headbands, stickers flying. Soon, a […]
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I wasn’t sure how my reading life would change when I started working full-time for my church last January. I suspected that I wouldn’t be able to read as much, and I was correct! But books have been my main hobby for years now, and I was still able to make the time to read […]
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It was the day after Thanksgiving, and we had just unboxed our tree. It sat bare in the living room while I went to the garage to fetch all the trimmings. My husband strung the lights and I set out the boxes of ornaments, marveling at all the colors and memories, but something felt off. […]
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So much of living well is about waiting well, and this is especially true in the in the lives of those who follow Jesus. We are expectant people, people who long for the renewal and restoration of all things. We are witnesses to the pain and sorrow in our own lives, in the lives of […]
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One day last month, I sank into our couch with particular enthusiasm. It had been after a long day working at my church: I’d been running around the rooms, setting up signs here, laying out a tablecloth and centerpieces there, rearranging chairs, restocking the church pantry, coordinating with the ladies helping with childcare. The work […]
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Sarah K. Butterfield 