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Hagar is misunderstood. And misrepresented. Her outline is sketched in contrast to Sarah, Abraham’s wife and would-be matriarch of Israel. In Sarah’s shadow, Hagar is a slave girl from Egypt who caters to her whims. But she also serves at her point of deepest woe—barrenness that denies her the glory of a child, the respect of her community and guaranteed position in the future of God’s people. When Sarah cannot conceive, she sends in Hagar. Having no say in the…

I received my favorite Christmas card this year from D.L. Mayfield. A simple image in black ink on white cardstock of Mother Mary mid-step, skirt hiked up and fist in the air. She looks fierce. The words of the Magnificat encircle her: “Cast down the mighty. Lift up the lowly. Send the rich away. Fill the hungry.” I adore this depiction of Mary, not so meek or mild. Last week my family traveled from the U.S. to Burundi. We had…

This week my friends at Red Letter Christians invited me to offer their Wake Up! morning devotions. These are designed to be quick reflections to start your day thinking and practicing the words of Scripture. I decided to share all five reflections on the theme of subversive strength, as demonstrated by the women in Exodus. These women engaged in the liberation enterprise, showing what it is to be #ExodusStrong. Pharaoh never saw the women as a threat to his empire…

In the brickyards of Egypt the Hebrew men worked under harsh taskmasters under the directive of a hard-hearted Pharaoh. In the waters of The Great Nile Hebrew boys drowned under the death edict of the same man, afraid the ferocious fertility of the slaves would overpower them otherwise. The original task of infanticide was handed to the midwives; they were instructed to kill all the boys on the birth stool. But the women conspired together, bringing both boys and girls…

Today my sisters at SheLoves Magazine are sharing my 500 words on Proverbs in honor of release week for The Jesus-Centered Study Bible. How do Proverbs + Women + Jesus connect? Click over to SheLoves magazine to find out! And check out The Jesus-Centered Study Bible now available on amazon.com and other book sellers nationwide. So many good friends have contributed to this project, including Kathy Escobar, Carl Medearis, Mark Braverman, Brian Zahnd and Jonathan Salgado.  

Write about the Song of Solomon in 500 words... the theme of the book and how it connects to Jesus. A tall order! But I accepted the invitation by my friends at Simply Jesus and Group Publishing. Here are my 500 words. (This essay will be included in The Jesus-Centered Study Bible, available September 1, 2015!) *** The Song of Solomon makes my toes curl; my cheeks blush. This collection of love poetry is not coy about sex, bodies or…

Jesus said the Kingdom of God is like sourdough starter that a woman took and hid in 40-60 pounds of flour. The Greek word means encrypted. The woman hid a small batch of starter in copious amounts of flour, knowing full well the leaven would be revealed when the dough rose, as it was baked off and the loaves ready for distribution. This story hints at an intentional hiding and an equally intended revealing. Read the full post over at…

[caption id="attachment_1858" align="aligncenter" width="876"] Photo Credit: Jerome Delay // The Associated Press[/caption] On Mother’s Day the women of Burundi took to the streets. Recent weeks have brought conflict onto these very streets – protesters, police, tear gas, water cannons and even live ammunition – and dead sons. The president continues to push for an unconstitutional third term that will break the Arusha Accords peace agreement and possibly ignite another season of ethnic violence. Meanwhile, the economy crumbles. The most vulnerable…

Idelette and I had a juicy conversation about what it means, and doesn't mean, to be a Dangerous Woman. We talk about Walter Brueggemann's sermon on Isaiah, the woman who leavens dough with a little yeast and Jesus feeding the crowds. We unpacked what dangerous means to each of us in relation to God, our self and our world. It's the start of a great new season at SheLoves Magazine! Join us! Click here to watch the video!  

Christendom often seemed like a safe camp. I, for one, grew up safe within its walls. Campfire songs, flannel graphs and water colored storybooks fanned my beginner’s belief with sweeping and salvific stories. As I matured into Study Bibles and adult services I found a sturdy faith anchored by creeds, sacraments and plenty of sermons–so many of them about how to be good, stay above the fray of sin and keep out of trouble. In retrospect, the catechism of the…