Author: Kate Franken The words “identity crisis” generally evoke images of a pimple faced teenager and a middle aged silver-haired man that seeks comfort in adultery and a new red sports car. This worldly association leads one to believe that identity crisis is largely confined to two occurrences, once in adolescence and then again somewhere…
The Faithful Oak
The soft grasses sway in the light breeze. The luscious meadow appears to be dancing to a tune not played for human ears. The afternoon sun warms the rippling brook framing the ancient oak tree that still stands firm. Its roots delve deeply into the earth below. The knotty bark echoes stories of children swinging…
Hope on Distant Shores
Author: Rachel Olson Just over a year ago, a lifelong dream came true. I was accepted to join Mercy Ships, an organization that brings free surgical care to some of the poorest countries of Africa. I quit my job, packed my bags, and moved to Madagascar, where I have spent the past eight and a…
Hope for Mom
The crowd was a-buzz. Well-wishers, families settling into their seats, and most better dressed than a normal week. I knew the moment was coming. The opening song rang through the sanctuary, and I felt a dread sweep through me. I had experienced it before, each year it had taken on new and different dimensions. It…
The Undomesticated Housewife
I have been a housewife/domestic engineer/stay-at-home-mom for over ten years, and I cherish and appreciate the blessing of being able to be with my kids full time. I know not everyone has the opportunity to do it, and not everyone wants to. As for me, I will always be grateful for these years spent with…
Hope for Gardening
I sat, kneeled, and squatted until my muscles ached and burned from fatigue. My nails, even when covered with gloves, became encrusted with earth. The sun beat on my back. Sweat trickled down my neck. I, the greenthumb’s daughter, was gardening for the second weekend in a row. Let’s be real: I never voluntarily garden….
Donuts and Leaky Ceilings
Let’s be real: In the kingdom of God there are no second class citizens, but is that actually the mindset you and I live from week in and week out? One way God taught me about the equality of His kingdom was through a series of events I couldn’t have orchestrated. Picture this, a group…
Hope After the Psych Ward
Author: Sarah L. Sanderson A few hours after my discharge from the psychiatric ward of our local hospital, I walked over to my daughter’s elementary school to pick her up from first grade. It was the end of October, and the trees bore fewer leaves than when I’d last seen them, four days before. As…
Hope for Spring
It was one of those days in which the rain kept coming. I stood behind my church’s connection desk, and watched as one of the greeter’s hair soared straight into the air, as the wind swirled and ruffled it to and fro. The drear and drizzle continued throughout most of the afternoon. It was the…
The New Page
Author: Kate Franken I was going through school to become a teacher, I remember expressing delight in having chosen a career in which I could embrace change each school year. Change was plausible, whether it be a change in students or a change in grade level. And now, in my tenth year of teaching, I detest September….
Anchored Voices 