I remember the first time I said goodbye to her. Now she’s saying goodbye to me. We were inching along through Dar es Salaam traffic in our Toyota Land Cruiser, the windows cracked just enough for air since the A/C wasn’t working. Our firstborn sat in her car seat, maybe eight or nine months old, while a missionary friend joined us for the ride. My husband was dropping us off for to attend a women’s retreat. I’d been so looking forward to that weekend. Longing for a time for spiritual...

We all want joy. Not just the fleeting kind that comes and goes with a good day, but something deeper, more steady. And yet, for many of us, joy can feel just out of reach. We read the call in Scripture to “rejoice always,” and wonder why it doesn’t seem to come naturally. Life is full. Responsibilities press in. We carry the weight of family, work, ministry, and responsibilities no one else sees. There are still many good moments, to be sure. A shared laugh, a beautiful sunset, and a warm...

“Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15). There are a handful of moments in my life where I’ve tasted, in a very small way, what it might feel like to be a celebrity. On our wedding day, we went through town taking pictures and celebrating with our friends on one of the most significant days of our lives. We rode in a limo, followed by a photographer, no less. Not quite celebrities, but it felt extravagant. When we returned home from the mission...