Author: Emmett Richardson

lent as loving formation

“So, what are you giving up for Lent?” Growing up in my liturgical church going home, this question often came up around this time of year. For me, this usually meant thinking of something that I was content to lose and that would require little effort and no sacrifice on my part (like vegetables). In my childhood and adolescent years, Lent felt like an empty and meaningless ritual designed to forgo simple pleasures. As I’ve grown older, my practice of Lent has ebbed and flowed. Some years I’ve tried to… Continue reading lent as loving formation

wrestling with hope

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! (Psalm 27:13-14) Over the past three years I’ve clung to these verses as my wife and I have journeyed together through unexplained infertility. Just writing that sentence feels surreal. Infertility is one of those things we’d heard about from a distance, but not something we imagined would characterize our story. Each month is a roller coaster… Continue reading wrestling with hope

grace changes

As we close out 2023 and step into 2024, I feel like this time of year naturally lends itself to reflection. Looking back, we give ourselves the space to consider where we’ve seen growth, change, or progress in our lives, while looking ahead we dream and imagine where we would like to see movement in the future. Many of us think of these plans for self-improvement as New Year’s resolutions: working out, eating healthier, beginning a new hobby, cutting down on social media. With physical activities and practices like these… Continue reading grace changes

your need is your glory

One of my favorite places to experience God is in nature. I remember a trip I took with friends to Zion National Park. Standing at the top of Angels Landing (pictured below) I was blown away by the array of colors and vastness of the landscape. It was hard to wrap my mind around the fact that God made this. Such beauty in a broken world made me wonder what this place might have looked like before the Fall. In the history of the world, only Adam got to experience… Continue reading your need is your glory