Lori Manry

[bl]D[/bl]o you feel him moving? Stirring inside of you? Stretching, pushing against you? His life growing larger and stronger, more complete…ready to be born? These are the days we are expecting. Waiting for Jesus who has come, is here, and will come again. This ever present, ever coming God is continually conceiving life in his people, expanding them, and delivering redemption in this world. We are the stable, the humble human dwelling Jesus is born. Are you available? Do you have room for him to be born in you? If not, then Christmas needs to begin with making room. In […]

[bl]I[/bl] believe in the hospitality of food. The way it invites people to gather and taste of its goodness. Oh that we might do the same. Since the beginning of time, food has brought people together. It’s central to our daily routines, our holiday celebrations, and the focus of many stories throughout Scripture. Though we live in a time and place where we choose our food based on how it looks, how cheap it is, and whether or not it pleases our tongue – feeding ourselves is one of the more intimate things we do to our bodies. The problem is, […]

[bl]T[/bl]he very first Christmas was Jesus being born unto the world. Every Christmas after, is Jesus being born in us. As we anticipate and wait in these Advent days, we are preparing for his birth – not only in a manger, but in hearts and homes. Jesus being born into our sin. Jesus, being born into our brokenness. Jesus being born into our relationships. Jesus being born into the work of our hands, the words of our mouth. This is no ordinary birth. It’s not the kind that mark’s first breath. It’s the kind that brings forth new life. What […]

Advent. Anticipating the coming of Jesus. The anticipation of anything involves waiting. Expecting. Hoping. Preparing. It’s discerning how to welcome what is to come. Jesus Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The moment in God’s redemptive story when he enters the world. Enters into the brokenness of man to bring about wholeness and restoration. How do we prepare our hearts and homes for such a birth as this? I look to the days and years surrounding the nativity story for discernment. The people, places and actions authored by God. The first moments when this world welcomed the […]

You know it. You can feel it. It is strong and full of life. A breathing message that speaks to your heart, you’re whole body. Because the dwelling place of God’s spirit knows when it hears it’s own language. Truth. It’s a bitter sweet song to your soul because it identifies brokenness and proclaims hope in the same breath. And it demands a response. Rejection or reception. That’s the decision. To embrace the message and live into the truth. Or turn from it, and live as you always have. From the lips of one we love, truth was spoken in […]

[bl]T[/bl]here’s an uncomfortableness when initiating meaningful moments. Not sure why. But surely you know the feeling I’m talking about. The moment when you want to pray for someone, but you hesitate because it feels awkward. Or when you think it would be good to take a conversation to a deeper level, but you’re afraid others won’t join you. Or you gather as a small group and you hate to interrupt the social, and you’re not quite sure how to transition to the devotional. Maybe these moments are awkward because we wish they would initiate themselves, naturally occur without us trying. […]

[bl]W[/bl]hen anger settles in, or irritations gnaw. When schedules keep us distracted, or sleep captures us. We forget to be thankful. When we’re caught up in the good life, or brought down through hardship. We fail to draw close to God with offerings of gratitude. I go days without worshiping this way. Days without praise pouring from my lips. Yet I know that thankfulness births new life. New perspective. It shapes new choices and behaviors. It comforts the soul with hope. And it reminds our spirit that God is near, that he’s present in our story, and he’s always providing […]

Is hospitality. My spirit and flesh wrestle as I struggle to understand how to give of myself this way. How to give of my family and home. How to be available when all I really want to do some days is hibernate with my family in the simple life. Indulge in the things I enjoy. Use my resources on myself. Today I’m thankful for the people in my life who converse with me. Who partner with me in hospitality. Who challenge me and affirm me. Encourage and restore me. I have a mother and sister who share a love for […]

[bl]W[/bl]hen Bobby told us that the village women of all ages and beliefs meet at the well every day. That their relationship and communal decisions – despite their differences in faith and traditions – matter because there is only one source of water and they have to share it….it struck me for the first time how this reality that I once lived among has significant theological truth. There’s but One Source. Of water. Of life. Of truth. And we all have to share it. Share Him. Jesus. The source of all things for all people. This is why our relationships […]

[bl]I[/bl]t’s a catchy tune. But the words are even better. If there’s a theme song for our adoptions, this is it. The song of our heart, the words we want to proclaim. Everybody, everybody wants to love. Everybody, everybody wants to be loved. It’s Gospel, really. God is love. And everyone born of God is created to love and be loved. And if we don’t and we’re not, then we are incomplete. Not whole. Broken. This is the life of an orphan. They are missing out on the very thing they’ve been created from, created for. Love. And when we […]