by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 27, 2017 | Africa, challenging, current events, Home and Hospitality, poverty, social justice
For key thoughts on this important topic, make sure to check out this post on ways and reasons to welcome refugees. “Teacha!” He loped across the pavement to me where I stood shaded beneath the tailgate of my high-clearance minivan. At 6’5” and change, he couldn’t...
by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 13, 2017 | children, compassion, faith, Family, Ideas, kids, methods, Parenting, practical, sharing your faith, spiritual life skills/spiritual disciplines
New to this series? For the thoughts behind it, start here. It was yesterday, walking to a train, that we met her—I’ll call her Gretchen. Conversation unfolded among us in the blistering sunshine. We were all drawn in by the details of her home country; the stories of...
by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 9, 2017 | challenging, compassion, free download, prayers, Printables and Freebies, quotes, social justice
This week, I’m moving back from Africa to the U.S. Rather than writing you a half-baked post, I opted for chalkboard art–an artistic version of this challenging Franciscan benediction: God, give us discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and...
by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 3, 2017 | challenging, difficulty, discouragement, emotion, encouragement, faith, God's will
It needs to be said: I am a teeny bit of a freak show right now. Yesterday, we moved out of our house, which was (after months of supreme effort) stripped and echoing, like a rumbling empty stomach. A half an hour before we left, we said goodbye to our dogs, who...
by Janel Breitenstein | May 30, 2017 | community, helping others, identity, practical, relationships, rest
When I was young, my dad regularly mortified me at restaurants throughout the Midwest. We’d be at Hardee’s, say. And he insisted in calling the waitress—there behind the counter, awaiting my straightforward order for a chili dog—by the name on her plastic nametag. As...
