How can I tell if God is at work in my life? How can I know that my faith is making a difference in the way I live? Author Anne Lamott answers these questions beautifully in her book Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers. “Imagining God can…
I’ve watched enough people die over the years to know that nobody can design their own death, even if a few rudely step in to try and engineer it. Yet we all contemplate how our final breath might happen. For me, the most desirous scenario would be t…
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“Deciding everything is falling into place perfectly as long as you don’t get too picky about what you mean by place. Or perfectly.” These words appear on a brightly colored print at my house from Iowa-based artist Brian Andreas. The figure in the pi…
They are much like a compass. From north, south, east, and west, four women have arrived at St. Paul for the summer. They will live on the lower level, guiding weekly crews of teenagers who will come to the Quad Cities to serve through YouthWorks, Ju…
Ahlonko Kokou was a high school math and physics teacher in the country of Togo. He and his wife, Afi Amewou, dreamed of coming to the United States someday – so they started the process to come here on a Visa. In a lottery type of process, Ahlonko w…
This weekend, many Americans will hitch up their trailers or pack up their tents. They’ll load up their truck beds and trunks with coolers, roasting sticks, and marshmallows to enjoy a weekend of camping. It’s not everyone’s ideal getaway (I have one…
Each piece of clothing is marked with a name on the label. All of the cans of bug spray and sunscreen, towels and socks, flashlights and shorts, are packed with love. Six fourth-grade girls from Davenport schools are going to camp this summer, all ex…
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Up at the top of the St. Paul Sanctuary, floats a red foil heart balloon. It’s been there for seven weeks. I was using that helium balloon during our Good Friday family service, until a curious preschooler freed that helium balloon from its weight. I…
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The Ham Solo panini has ham and mayo, the Avo-Ca-Dabra has tomato, mayo, and Mary Baril’s favorite, avocado. And then there’s the paninis with provolone and tomatoes…because who doesn’t love provolone and tomatoes? Visitors to Mary’s booth at the F…
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Recently, I spent a couple hours in Chicago’s O’Hare airport as I waited for a flight. I had some time to waste so I sat down near my gate and watched the crowd of people make their way to various connections. If you’ve spent any time in a large airp…
Political correctness keeps popping up as a turn of phrase in the presidential campaign of the last year. Perhaps you’ve noticed candidates referencing it with little affection and significant sarcasm. What do people mean when they fling this term ar…
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They waddle, together, along the sidewalks, in the grass, and among the flowers of the Memorial Garden. Up to the doors of St. Paul, they peak inside sometimes, too. Usually they build a nest nearby, bringing their baby ducklings into the world each…