Originally posted on thejaggedword.com Each teenager told their own story by their posture in the little church library chair that Sunday morning. Proud, comfortable, shy, sleepy drooling over a cup of coffee, all were present and in their own way eager to have the conversation. In our Youth Sunday School, some were just learning the… Continue reading Inspiring Conversations with our Kids
There is a light that changes everything. When it is dark and cold, just a little spark ignites hope. Instead of a black and formidable reality, there is comfort seen on the horizon, because this little glow of light is the beginning of a warm, bright fire. It is no wonder a family gathers around… Continue reading Warming Light: 5 Minute Advent Devotion
Originally posted on thejaggedword.com Wandering around in the darkness, I wish I knew the way to go. Every once in a while, I see a glimmer of light and I run towards it. I know what the light looks like, but I don’t always see where to follow. The tiny spark is sometimes so very… Continue reading Guiding Light: 5 Minute Advent Devotion
Originally posted on thejaggedword.com Imagine you are sleeping. The room is completely dark and quiet. Your body is completely still. You even have a little drool dripping out of the corner of your mouth onto your pillow. As far as you know, everything is going just fine. You are resting in a dreamland, not thinking… Continue reading Exposing Light: 5 Minute Advent Devotion
Daughter. She entered into my life small and helpless. She was the one who needed to be fed, changed, taught, disciplined, and loved. She always looked up to me to tell her the story of who she is, and she trusted my words, even on the days when I couldn’t hear it myself. Because there… Continue reading Daughter Project: Part 4
Daughter. She enters into the world with endless possibilities laid at her feet. We want her find her way, navigating through obstacles, praying that her path will be smoother than our own. And one day, we might see something amazing. A little sliver of me shines forth from her eyes. Recognizing a piece of my… Continue reading Daughter Project: Part 3
Daughter. She trusts other women to tell her the story of who she is. Just today, my own daughters thought back to their childhood baby dolls, who have now been asleep for many years. Sad, my eldest said, I remember loving that baby doll so much. But it’s funny, mom, I can only remember the… Continue reading Daughter Project: Part 2
Daughter. A simple memory from the past lingers on her tongue, wafts past her nose, and is set on the table to care for the family that now surrounds her. Whether it was grandma’s cookie recipe or the secret technique for lump-less gravy, she will love her own by remembering the recipes she was taught.… Continue reading Daughter Project: Part 1
Originally posted on 1517legacy.com Every morning, a great light sparkles on the horizon. A downpour of warmth rushes over a dark and sleepy landscape. Sometimes covered by clouds, sometimes shining in solitary glory, the sun covers our planet with a predictable pattern that we almost daily forget. The sun continues to show up, lighting up… Continue reading Sunshine, Rainbows, and Screaming Babies
Originally Posted on TheJaggedWord.com It was only the beginning of a fight. She said. He said. But it turned ugly when she said too much. His anger flared, and his voice got louder. She stood her ground and said so much more. They felt the pulse of the evening race out of control as their… Continue reading What Men Can’t Say
Cindy Koch 