Please note, I did not use the word TOP to describe these articles. They may not have received the most shares, views, or tweets but for various reasons, these are the pieces I am most pleased with from 2014. If you let me know which one is your favorite in the comment section (or subscribe to my site), I’ll send you a free image for your handheld device. Enjoy! (If you aren’t able to access some of these, please let me know and I’ll try to find other links.)

In no particular order…

1. The Gift of Telling the Truth at Weekly Refill. “I had conveniently created a gradation of truth telling, rather than seeing it as a choice between two polar opposites. We either are telling the truth or we’re not. In God’s economy, white lies are still lies.”

2. Mothering Like a Warrior at Suzanne Burden’s site. “I’ve never fired a gun or drawn a sword but I assure you, I mother like a warrior. “

3. Why Do We Avoid Talking About Gender? at Gifted for Leadership. “We aren’t talking about gender issues in the church because it’s easier not to. Based on what’s happening in our culture on the topic of gender, God is offering us an opportunity to not only engage, but lead this conversation.”

4. Growing Old with Grace at Today’s Christian Woman. “Exactly how does emulating the actions and attitude of Jesus impact how we age? When we decide that following Christ is what we most want out of life, our world gets turned inside out and upside down. In a sense, we go off grid.”

5. Listening Beneath the Shame, here on my site. “Regardless of our ethnicity, all of us avoid shame triggers because we don’t like the message that it delivers to us—namely, that we’re bad. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it seems that when majority and minority folks have honest conversations about race, these dialogues tend to elicit shame in the white person.”

6. When He Has the Headache—Navigating Diverse Sex Drives at Today’s Christian Woman. “As Christian women, what we most often hear from the pulpit or at conferences is essentially, ‘Women, we all understand that you aren’t as interested in sex as your husband, but try to be a good wife and give him what he wants.'” This perspective does not resonate with my experience and feels both reductionist and demeaning. (This was not an easy one to write can could very well be TMI for some of you!)

7. Over the Falls, at Ungrind. “Niagara Falls is symbolic of how utterly out of control life can be.”

8. Why I’m Thankful for My Broken Body at Natasha Robinson’s site. “Prior to my health issues, I lived a fiercely independent existence. My autonomy and competence was a source of pride. Because I rarely needed help, I thought I was better than those needy people.”

9. The Art of Celebration at Relevant Magazine. In honor of our son’s wedding! “Celebrations are crucial to our spiritual life. The very act of celebrating anchors us in a deeper story—one that precedes any current hardship or pain.”

10. Toxic Leaders in Our Ranks at Her.meneutics. “While most religious leaders embody these godly qualities, more than a few of us have encountered ecclesiastical leaders who, according to the Army’s description, would be classified as toxic.”

Special bonus—because I had to include one non-verbal post: My favorite unpublished photos from 2014

If you are interested in partnering with me as I write my first two books (gasp!), please check out my Patreon page.

This year, I was asked to be a regular contributor for both Today’s Christian Woman and Start Marriage Right. Huzzah!