Contemplative

Go to the dump. Do not pass go. What do you associate with a trip to the dump? What does your local garbage or recycling center look like? When has a preacher delivered a message to you on top of a trash can? A landfill is hardly a podium I’d considered Holy Ground! In Jeremiah…

That’ll separate the men from the boys. I hear this phrase when someone challenges another to a task. Men are generally stronger, hopefully wiser, more courageous, and sturdier than boys, simply because of life’s growth cycle. I determine a person’s strength by their ability to make sound decisions, to remain peaceful and resilient, especially during…

Pain can produce potential. It’s uncomfortable to rehash harmful memories, but let’s consider your most recent pain. Asking you to expose hurt may be a harsh start for a blog that’s meant to encourage, but let’s reveal our pain as a way to heal our pain. Maybe you’ve been injured or had a health setback….

Black. Red. Blue. Green. If feelings had colors, I’d use black, red, blue, and green to describe my grief process.  Who passed? What died? In 2020, our local libraries stopped breathing. Libraries are a primary life support for me. When health regulations required shutdowns, I experienced grief in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Black. That fatal…

The world was left with a large hole when my mom moved to heaven August 22, 2015. I refer to someone’s last day on earth as their first heavenly birthday. It’s the day to celebrate their eternal birth. (When I get my heavenly birthday, I hope Jesus and I can enjoy dark chocolate cake with…

Christina M. Eder, Encourager. Lover of Handwritten Notes. Outreach minister. That’s what’s printed on my business card. I have a 40-year work history and letters behind my name that identify educational credentials. I have people who know me best who provide kind references. I do what I do because of who I’m designed to be….

I sent Hip Waders: A Naked View of the Soul to my editor last week. We believe the book will hit bookstores early 2024. (Hip Waders will be book #7. Whew!) Hip Waders is written in the style of what’s been my most popular book, Knee Deep: A 9-Month Whirlpool of Handwritten Letters to the…

I’m a nature lover and frequently find coins along my walking paths. I save them in a “Change for Change” jar and when a ministry requests donations, I cash in the coins for the mission. People who see me outside often sometimes ask why I walk so much. Walking helps collect thoughts and organize my…

Fake. Counterfeit. Pretenders. What’s the biggest lie you’ve been told? When you discovered the truth, how did that impact you? What about a lie you’ve told? How did that affect someone or the situation? Sometimes, I deny the truth to myself even though I know its reality. We promise, “Next time, I won’t…” or “If…

“This horror can’t happen! Oh, that has happened” (Ez. 27:36 MSG). I’ve recently faced some sudden changes. Some of these welcomed surprises have been out-of-the-blue. Other situations have resembled more out-of-the-black than out-of-the-blue. While I try to wrap my head around these adjustments, a story from Ezekiel reminded me that others have faced plot twists….