Poem: A Watchman for the Morning
We Are Moving to Town
We are house hunting in Fayetteville. I am full of gratitude. This place has nurtured us for seven years; we became ourselves here. But now we feel the pull of a new and very different season. We see a returning to ourselves happening. See, Chris and I are the same personality: idea-generating missional extroverts. In…
THE JOURNALING COURSE: Meditative Journaling Practices for Restoration and Spiritual Growth
I thoroughly enjoyed relaunching the journaling course with seven wonderful women this spring! And I am looking forward to offering it again this fall! We are tentatively set to meet Wednesday nights from September to November at the Fayetteville Prayer Room. Check back for details and registration! Here is the Table of Contents: WEEKS 1-4:…
Slowly and Surely (Note to Self)
Awake, O Sleeper. Arise and walk, —Slowly. . Step out barefoot and look for Venus. Shake the dew from the chamomile, Pop off the blooms and Plop them into your teacup. . Then, return to the cloister For milk, honey and hot water. Light a stub candle, Tuck your cold feet up under your legs,…
Poem: Origami
PART 1 Sometimes circumstances surpass me. The experience sets me wincing and flinching. And I sense my composure unfolding, —Torn open by the wind. . And my shoulders draw in. And my chest tightens up. And my breathing shrinks back. And I’m suddenly standing . In the middle of a flapping flock of seagulls. They…
Poem: All Commands are Promises
(Rotate your phone to landscape) . Don’t fear. Don’t judge. Don’t lust. Don’t rush. Be good. Believe. Beseech. Belong. Don’t lag. Don’t hate. Don’t hoard. Don’t strut. Be still. Behold. Become. Becalm. . How can I obey the command to be still When my chest rages on like the sea? When the…
Poem: The Invitation
What if God formed Adam with dirt and saliva, Then got down on his elbows And blew? . What if He waited, Close like an eager toddler, For Adam to open His eyes? . And they stared at each other for hours, Without words; without an ounce of fear, A childlike man with a childlike…
The Journaling Course, Spring 2026
I am so excited to relaunch the Journaling Course this January! I will offer it semesterly through New Heights Church Women’s Ministry in Fayetteville for the foreseeable future. If you live in NWA, I’d love for you to join me! Maybe someday I will post part or all of it here as well. Stay tuned….
Poem: Progress
So you bought a journal…
A Good and Holy Tension
Journaling has taught me that God is far more personal than many of us have dared to believe and that we can be fearlessly vulnerable with Him. But He is still Lord, Creator and King. He is near, but He is high. There is a good and holy tension here. Paul says we can approach…
Poem: A Series of Surrenders
“They shall build up the ancient ruins; They shall raise up the former devastations. They shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.” Isaiah 61:4 . We are cities under siege. We defend our walls with fatigued and frantic sword strokes, swiping at everything that passes through, including God. But is there anything…
Poem: Damsel (Psalm 61)
From the ends of the earth, I call to you. O God, hear my cry. I shout it over my shoulder as I ride away. . Deep cannot call to deep. My brain is flat; my nerves are shot. All my sighing is… muffled. My longing stagnant. . Fear sits patient in the corner, inching…
Poem: Holy Wrestling
Paperback Bible flopped open on my lap Halted by a phrase a fleeting thought I grasp at it! . I catch it! And peace drops from the ceiling as the new view infiltrates my mind. . But old belief stands stubborn. Frustration spreads gut to head, Wringing my brain like a wet rag. Aching and…
Hey, Did You Stop Homeschooling?
An old friend sent a Facebook message today, Hi Heather, Saw one of your posts and it made it sound like you weren’t homeschooling anymore! Is that true? And would love to hear what made your decision to transition. Thanks in advance. Hi. I decided to plop my reply to my friend here on the…
Prayer Guides: Stillness & Centering
I co-wrote these guides with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings at the Fayetteville Prayer Room. How to Spend an Hour in the Prayer Room We need, finally, to discover absolute solitude and centering in God… to be free of the baggage and distraction of a clamoring self. We need to lose that…
Prayer Guides: Inner Healing
I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. For I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. Psalm 109:22 Most of us carry wounds, shame and disappointment from events in our lives. These experiences often shape how we see…
Prayer Guides: Journaling with the Holy Spirit
I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. Prayer Journaling with Scripture The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two- edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts…
Prayer Guides: Imaginative Prayer
I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. Contemplative prayer engages both the mind and heart. As we pray, God guides our thoughts, gently stirs our emotions, and deepens our awareness of His presence. Five hundred years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola developed a…
Prayer Guide: The Examen
I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. The Ignatian Examen “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:6 For centuries, Christians have ended their day with prayers of reflection and submission. Nightfall offers…
I’ve always wanted to read Dante
It took over a year, but I did it! It was quite an undertaking- I leaned heavily on the appendix and followed a rabbit trail through all these other books! Maybe I’m a nerd- but I’ve had so much fun! Good thing we studied Greek mythology and the constellations back when we homeschooled, because Dante…
Different Ways to Worship through Song
A resource of the Fayetteville Prayer Room. The Psalmists wrote songs of praise, thanksgiving, remembrance, kingship, confidence, wisdom and lament. Modern songwriters write different kinds of worship songs too. Here are a few: Praise. Most often, worship is pure praise– when we exalt the Lord, expecting nothing in return. We can join the angels singing,…
Different Kinds of Prayer
A resource at the Fayetteville Prayer Room: There are many ways to pray. Some are like stepping into the throne room or marching onto a battlefield, sword in hand; others are more like climbing into God’s lap or holding a candle. In every form, you can minister to God—and in each, He is waiting to…
April 30, 2025
The great oaks fell. They were nestled too close, Their roots intertwined. The soil too wet from so much spring rain. . The wind flipped them over like a tossed rug And broke them like a lamp on the other side, A tangled splintered mess. . Nature is reckless. I love her and hate her….
Loosed Flock of Dreams
The lichen glows neon on rain-darkened tree trunks A breeze rustles droplets from each budding branch Then bursts out the sun making everything shimmer and the slow peace perks up like a mirthy song, That’s when childhood dreams loose like a flock overhead And I’m seized by nostalgia for things I’ve never done: . For…
Seven Sacred Pauses: The Age-old Tradition of Praying the Hours
Praying the hours is a tradition that began in the Tabernacle and was carried on by the early church. Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Psalms, and pray. Read about each hour below. Daybreak, often called “The Awakening Hour,” is a time for praise! As you witness…
Daybreak and Midmorning Prayers
Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome…
Noon and Midafternoon Prayers
Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome to…
Evensong and Compline
Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. . ORIGINAL POST:
The Nightwatch
Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome to…