tammygrrrl

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The Good Catastrophe

This was originally presented at Jesus People USA Covenant Church on Good Friday in 2013.

And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

Matthew 27:59b-61

The…

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Whatever Tomb You're In

Whatever Tomb You’re In

Originally presented at Jesus People USA Covenant Church.

John opens Chapter 11 as the distant narrator, telling us that a certain man, Lazarus of Bethany, was ill. We, the readers, are then introduced to this man’s sister Mary, who is known for the extravagant display of anointing the feet of Jesus with oil.

Lazarus has another sister, and the action in this story starts with the sisters…

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Prayer and the Cross of Jesus This was first presented as a sermon at Jesus People USA Covenant Church. When Neil asked me to speak on one of the chapters in Michael Casey's book on prayer, …

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Create a Tumult in Our Hearts

Create a Tumult in Our Hearts

Years ago I was on an email list for the Bruderhof community. It was mostly a daily devotional from writers like Johann Christoph Arnold. One day there was a poem. But it wasn’t justa poem. It was a prayer. It has become my yearly spring wake-up call. The words wrote themselves onto my heart like scripture, startling me from hibernation with a shiver, reminding me that new life is putting down…

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Sexual Redemption in Community

Sexual Redemption in Community

Nobody can find strength to resist temptation, perseverance in purity, and lasting forgiveness without community. Shepherds, teachers, mentors, leaders: You have people under your care who are engaging in self harm to externalize pain and contemplating suicide to end pain because they are being crushed beneath suffering and sin.

Female sexuality has historically made spiritual communities…

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Navigating the Wilderness: Transformation Through Brokenness

Navigating the Wilderness: Transformation Through Brokenness

This piece was originally presented as a breakout session at The Upside Down Podcast Gathering in Chicago, September 21-22, 2018. It has more of a talking feel than a reading feel, so please forgive the lack of polish.   Identifying the Wilderness  When I was 4 I was placed in foster care because my dad had left before I was born and my mom was an alcoholic. There was abuse, loss, trauma, and…

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Deeply Rooted is Coming Up!

Deeply Rooted is Coming Up!

Friday, November 9 ~ Saturday, November 10 Wilson Abbey Chicago

In 2015 my friend Joy Williams and I started Deeply Rooted: A Gatheringin Chicago. It’s a worship experience for women that includes spoken-word poetry, teaching, and workshops in 3 tracks: Social Justice, Faith, and Art. We invite local women to speak who are pastors, activists, writers, professors, poets. This November 9-10 will…

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Drifting in Deep Waters

Drifting in Deep Waters

I’m drifting in deep waters Alone with my self doubting again I try not to struggle this time For I will weather the storm I gotta remember Don’t fight it Even if I Don’t like it Somehow turn me around No matter how far I drift Deep waters won’t scare me tonight

~Portishead, Deep Water

A Reading from the Gospel According to Saint Luke

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the…

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Jealousy and Spiritual Gifts A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Brothers and sisters, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 

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I needed this today. #awordfitlyspoken #getitinyou (at Jesus People USA) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnYi5bdAKqL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hpmkqgsf43o4

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Celebrating Luci Shaw

Leslie Leyland Fields put out a call on the Redbud Writers Guild Facebook page for two women going to the Festival of Faith and Writing who had been influenced and inspired by Luci Shaw‘s work to share a short piece there. Aleah Marsden and I were the two lucky winners.  We both thought we would be sitting in the audience and go up to the podium when it was our turn. We get there and Leslie is…

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5 Dos and Don’ts of Foster Parenting My latest post for The Mudroom. This is not a heady article written by people with thirty years' foster parenting experience.

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Learn how to stay in #love w/ your #entrepreneur in #startup world. #StartLoveRepeat book on sale now. #TipTuesday http://thndr.me/kPQnDm

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Book Review: Everbloom I have a thing for anthologies. I adore them. When I was a kid I especially loved Alfred Hitchcock's collections like Stories That Scared Even Me and Murder on the Half Shell.

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Whatever Darkness You Are in Right Now  “A speck of light can reignite the sun And swallow darkness whole.” Ryan O’Neal Our theme at…

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Phoenix listening to the #debate tonight. "I know you live in your own reality . . . " #burn #goodtimes (at Wilson Abbey)

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Spent a quiet and slow Saturday morning on the patio with @kvsartists and @strantzformer talking life and love and heartache and darkness. #nocleverhashtag #anyideas (at Everybody's Coffee)