She was gathering sticks at the city gate. Like most moms do when they have a minute alone, I imagine she was second-guessing her parenting from yesterday: “I wish I would have handled that one differently. I’m just not sure how to parent that child, so stubborn and strong-willed.” I can hear her…
Read MoreOn that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the…
Read MoreIt was too cold for April. The heat had to be turned on that Monday morning and already smelled like it had been months since it had run. Wool socks and house shoes weren’t enough to entice me to want to step on the cold tile floor of the kitchen. It was still…
Read More“I wish it wasn’t so hard,” she said sitting across the office from me. As was our custom, I sat on the couch and she sat in my desk chair as we talked. I with my cup of coffee, and she opening and closing the laptop in front of her nervously. We met…
Read More“The best church I’ve ever been a part of is Alcoholics Anonymous!” I was shocked to hear the words tumble from my friend’s mouth, and embarrassed that he would share such a personal detail of his life with our whole class. The uncomfortably casual quip arose in the midst of a heated class…
Read MoreLife is full of incredibly difficult circumstances. Even in the lives of the redeemed, one does not have to look far to find struggle and pain. As the earth groans for renewal, so our hearts groan for an eternity with God that is free from heartache. And the Spirit intercedes for us in…
Read MoreIt was a beautiful spring day in my neck of the woods, so I decided to embark on a run by myself. With three young children at home, the glorious experience of doing anything by myself was so appealing that my mouth started watering at the deliciousness of the possibility. The kids were…
Read MoreAs managing editor of our Church channel, I get to work with a team of insightful, gifted writers who think deeply about God, the world, spiritual health, ministry, current events, Scripture, and so much more. As we lean into 2018, I’m pleased to look back on 2017 and share with you these most-read…
Read MoreI saw the movie Wonder yesterday, which tells the story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time. Because of the irregularities of his face, Auggie wears an astronaut’s helmet much of the time to avoid the stares and awkward…
Read MoreIt was 15 weeks ago that I went to the hospital to have our third child, finally a little girl! After my two boys, I was extremely excited to welcome her into our family. Like my other two deliveries, this was a routine and scheduled induction. I told my doctor, “I want this…
Read MoreThe CHARIS website hosts conversations of and about Churches of Christ. In partnership with the ACU Library and the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry at Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX), the website is supported and led by the Center for Heritage and Renewal in Spirituality (CHARIS) at ACU. The Center’s mission is to renew Christian spirituality through engagement of Christian heritage, at Abilene Christian University and beyond. The views expressed on the CHARIS website are those of the various authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Abilene Christian University or CHARIS at ACU. Questions or comments about the CHARIS website can be directed to charis @ acu.edu.
2017-18 CHARIS Editorial Board:
Dr. Carisse Berryhill
Dr. Jason Fikes
Karissa Herchenroeder
Mac Ice
Chai Green
Tammy Marcelain
Molly Scherer
Dr. John Weaver
