When I was in high school, a coach by the name of Grant Palmer asked me to lead a devotional for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes gathering. Despite my nerves about speaking so vulnerably in front of my peers, I selected a Bible verse, prayed over it, and wrote out a message. I choseContinue reading “PERFECTLY His”
Author Archives: Nicki Dechert Carlson
TIMELY His
I dropped my son off at kindergarten one morning and went for a walk. I almost gave up on the endeavor, after a lengthy, last-minute phone call had delayed me; nevertheless, I headed up the residential street on foot as the morning sun attempted to suck the previous night’s rain from the earth. I passedContinue reading “TIMELY His”
NEWLY His
Late one Saturday afternoon when my son was four years old, I left the house to celebrate the impending arrival of a friend’s baby. Upon returning home and tucking my child into bed, he asked, “Did the baby get all clean, Mommy?” I replied, “Sweetie, the baby hasn’t been born yet. But, why did youContinue reading “NEWLY His”
REASSURINGLY His
I returned to in-person worship inside my church building two weeks ago, for the first time in a year. When the world as we knew it came to an abrupt stop, I imagined a return to worship filled with jubilant singing, clapping, and shouts of praise, punctuated by a buoyant, contagious energy. The room wouldContinue reading “REASSURINGLY His”
EMOTIONALLY His
This morning I sipped a cup of coffee and just cried. I cried with gratitude. I cried with exhaustion. I cried with relief, thanks, frustration, weariness, and empathy. Let’s be real: We just survived a natural disaster in the midst of a global pandemic. It’s ok to not be ok. “Unprecedented times” fatigue continues toContinue reading “EMOTIONALLY His”
CERTAINLY His
I remember the moment with a mixture of pride-filled validation as well as shame. I had just arrived back at school after a morning pre-Kindergarten field trip with my five-year-old son. As the children were set loose on the playground to let out their wiggles, one of my son’s sweet classmates cuddled up against myContinue reading “CERTAINLY His”
LUMINOUSLY His
As I tucked my pint-sized, three-year-old son in for the night, he frantically looked up at me and asked, “Mommy! Where’s my white boy?” Confused, I repeated back to him, “Your white boy?” “Yes! He’s not here. I want him.” My maternal brain started flipping through a catalogue of toys, trying to figure outContinue reading “LUMINOUSLY His”
JOYFULLY His
“Stop saying that so rudely every time I interrupt you!” said one of my children, who shall remain nameless. It was quite a mouthful, and so indicative of the way so many of us converse these days. Indignation, disgust, refusing to listen to another’s viewpoint or opinion, and outrage seem to be cornerstones of today’sContinue reading “JOYFULLY His”
SECURELY His
This morning I spent five minutes buckling myself into an ankle brace so I could play tennis. I’m healing from a severe ankle sprain, and although I really dislike the push-and-pull battle of strapping myself into this contraption, I am grateful it allows me to hit the courts again. I may not enjoy the constricted,Continue reading “SECURELY His”
DIFFERENTLY His
A lot of LIFE has happened since I last wrote a blog – cancer diagnoses, surgeries, heart attacks, a global pandemic and quarantine, a suspended school year that required me to suddenly become a homeschool teacher, a new school year, buying a house, selling a house, and moving with a severely sprained ankle – justContinue reading “DIFFERENTLY His”
