Being Present in the Need
I traveled to Guatemala in April with a team of writers for Children’s Hope Chest. We were there on a Vision Trip, visiting communities, schools, homes,…
Peep Wars
Some days we make mountains out of molehills—and some days this isn’t just a euphemism. You see, this week a mountain of donation Peeps appeared in…
Fest 4 Us 2016!
Every year Jesus People USA has a huge celebration over Easter called Fest 4 Us. We have dodge ball tournaments, karaoke, Legos, art, ping pong, Mario…
Triumphal Entry Breaks the Internet
Palm Sunday is a time for celebration and little kids in church distracted by palm branches and swatting their brother or sister over the head with…
Wilderness and Transformation
I went to mass for the first Sunday in Lent at St. Scholastica Monastery in Chicago, and one of the sisters, Patricia Crowley, spoke about…
Making a Loud Noise
Psalms 98:4 reads: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. But what happens the…
Mr. Rice Socks
The kitchen just got a new recipe from a guy who will never be on the Food Network. Eric Clayton. His recipe? Just two ingredients. An…
From Wild Boars to Open Doors
So there I was, in JPUSA’s dining hall, looking for a guy in a Pig Pen T-shirt with a ring of keys the size of a…
Your Fingers Are Not a Serving Utensil
Watering Camels. Washing Feet. Being delegated to clean the elephant quarters on the ark. The Bible is full of dirty jobs, many of them taking as…
A Reflection on 40 Years
The ride in the car took only about 30 minutes through Chicago’s congested and noisy streets. My mother and I sat mostly in silence. There was…